Eitel Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eitel Building |
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The Eitel Building, in 2008
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Address | 1501 2nd Avenue Seattle, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°36′34″N 122°20′22″W / 47.60944°N 122.33944°W |
| Construction started | 1904 |
| Completed | 1905 |
| Renovated | 2017–2019 |
| Renovation cost | $16 million |
| Height | 90 feet (27 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 8 |
| Floor area | 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Doty van Siclen |
| Developer | David and Fred Eitel |
| Renovating team | |
| Renovating firm | Weinstein A+U |
| Structural engineer | Coughlin Porter Lundeen |
| Main contractor | Exxel Pacific |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 90 |
| Designated | January 31, 2011 |
The Eitel Building is a cool, historic eight-story building in Downtown Seattle, Washington. It sits right on the corner of Pike Street and 2nd Avenue. Brothers David and Fred Eitel built it in 1904. It was first used for doctors' offices.
For many years, starting in the 1970s, the building was mostly empty. People even called it an "eyesore" because it looked so run down. But in 2016, a company bought the Eitel Building. They decided to turn it into a fancy hotel. This big renovation cost $16 million and added an eighth floor. The new hotel opened its doors in early 2019.
Contents
The Eitel Building: A Seattle Story
The Eitel Building has a long and interesting past. It went from being a modern office building to an empty shell. Then, it became a beautiful hotel.
From Offices to an "Eyesore"
Building a Landmark
In February 1904, David and Fred Eitel announced their plans. They wanted to build a six-story building in a growing part of Seattle. The top floors would have 95 offices for doctors and pharmacists. The ground floor would have two shops.
Construction started in April 1904 and finished in January 1905. It cost $80,000 to build. The outside of the Eitel Building was made of terra cotta. This special material made the building look very grand. Architect William Doty van Siclen designed it.
The building also had modern features for its time. It had concrete floors and the biggest passenger elevator in the Pacific Northwest. The Eitel Brothers sold the building in March 1906. Later that year, a seventh floor was added.
Years of Neglect
In the 1940s and 1950s, the area around 1st Avenue changed. The Eitel Building started to lose its shops on the ground floor. Its office tenants also slowly moved out. By 1978, the upper floors were completely empty. It was too expensive for owners to update the building to modern safety rules.
A real estate investor named Richard Nimmer bought the building in 1975. He tried many times to fix it up or sell it. He thought about turning it into apartments, new offices, or even a hotel. But nothing worked out.
The Eitel Building became known as an "eyesore." It was in a busy spot near Pike Place Market. Its windows were boarded up, the roof was falling apart, and pigeons lived inside. At one point, the city of Seattle even thought about taking over the property. This was part of their plan to clean up the area.
The building also got damaged in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. A brick wall separated from the roof. This damage was fixed, but it scared away people who might have wanted to buy it.
Saving a Piece of History
After 2006, the downtown area changed. A tall building called Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue was built next door. Richard Nimmer then wanted to build a 22-story tower on top of the Eitel Building.
This idea made the people living in the new tall building upset. They would lose their amazing views. Groups that wanted to save old buildings also got involved. They wanted the Eitel Building to be named a landmark. This would protect it from being changed too much or torn down.
The Landmarks Preservation Board agreed in 2006. They said the Eitel Building should be a landmark. But the Seattle City Council didn't approve it until 2011. This was after the disagreement between Nimmer and the neighbors was settled.
A Brand New Hotel Life
The Eitel Building went up for sale in 2011. The asking price was $4.85 million. In 2012, a company called Ariel Development agreed to buy it. They planned to turn it into an 80-room boutique hotel. A boutique hotel is a smaller, stylish hotel. But the company changed its mind later that year. They said the building and renovations were too expensive.
In 2013, another developer, Greg Smith, tried to buy it. He also backed out because of the cost. Finally, in November 2015, Lake Union Partners bought the building for $5.35 million. This ended Richard Nimmer's long ownership.
Lake Union Partners announced plans for a $25 million renovation. The plan was to turn the building into a 90-room hotel. This included adding an eighth floor and making the building safer in an earthquake. They also planned to fix up the beautiful terra cotta outside. The hotel, named The State Hotel, opened in early 2019. It is run by Columbia Hospitality. The State Hotel also has a bar on the ground floor. It is named after a famous sportsman and former tenant, Ben Paris.
