Interurban Building
- Architect
- The Parkinsons
- Style
- Richardsonian Romanesque
- City
- Seattle, WA
- Collection
- pioneer square romanesque
The Interurban Building went up in 1890-91 at Yesler Way and Occidental Avenue South as the headquarters of the newly formed Seattle National Bank, designed by young architect John Parkinson in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. It has been cited by local architects as one of the finest examples of that style in the Pacific Northwest and one of the most beautiful buildings in downtown Seattle, and it later lent its current name to the interurban rail line that once terminated out front.
the building
A young architect's breakthrough. The building was John Parkinson's breakthrough project before he relocated to Los Angeles, where he went on to design many of that city's notable early 20th-century buildings.
Three names, one building. The bank vacated within five years and the building passed through foreclosure to New York industrialist Lyman Cornelius Smith, who renamed it the Pacific Block in 1899; it later became the Smith Tower Annex in 1930 before taking its current name from the Seattle-Tacoma interurban rail line that terminated out front from 1904 to 1928.
the style
Parkinson worked in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, a design local architects have cited as producing one of the most beautiful buildings in downtown Seattle.
More on Richardsonian Romanesquethe architect
John Parkinson designed the building as his breakthrough project; he later relocated to Los Angeles, where he designed many notable buildings in the early 20th century.
significance
The building is a National Register of Historic Places contributing property within its historic district.
nearby
- L. C. Smith Building (Smith Tower)
- Pioneer Building
- Lyon Building
- Rector Hotel
- Arctic Building
- Exchange Building