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Past Post: Alaska Building 1907

December 20th, 2007 @ 12:03 am by Cliffe | Sorted Past Postborder
Another historic Seattle building, another controversy. If ever there was a time to *sigh* it’s probably now. The company that bought the Alaska Building from the city has now sold it to the infamous Henry Liebman, who now plans to turn the building into a Marriott Hotel and raise the height of the building from 150 to 180 feet. City officials are upset because the original buyer, Kent Angier, had said he would turn the building into market-rate housing. Seller’s remorse from the city — sounds like Queen Anne High School all over again. The Alaska Building was Seattle’s tallest structure when it was built in 1904 and remained so until 1911. Take in this vintage 1907 postcard from before the corporate investment hell era. Go ahead, click on them.
alaska_building_01_front.jpg
Front: 821 — Alaska Building, Seattle, Washington. Edward H. Mitchell, Publisher, San Francisco.
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Back: Postcard sent March, 1907 to Mr. Frank Foss in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

2 Responses:

  1. Didi wrote:

    The extra thirty feet will make the building look like crap, right?

  2. Gary wrote:

    I walk past this building frequently, and the addition they’re building looks like it is going to be contained to the SE corner in the alley across from the parking garage. It won’t be visible from the street 2nd Ave or Cherry. The addition will probably be visible looking west from 4th (new city hall).

    I’m more concerned about what’s happening with the Arctic building. They’re converting it into a boutique hotel and building up what looks to be a penthouse on top. 10 months behind schedule. Removed the windows from the entire building and left it open to the elements all winter.

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