It is 1931 or later as deduced by several folks above, and absolutely before 1953, because of the existence of the Central School (which was pulled down in ‘53) but where in that range is the challenge.

I found a series similarly numbered on the UW archive pages, and they were taken in 1932. I think this may be one of that series.

UW Library’s picture archieve has photos dated 1931 showing the King County Coroner’s (Medical Examiner’s) building directly east of Harborview, so agree with Julie Anne that the photo must be from at least 1931.

Guess the old Bon Marche sign was a remnant from their previous location. The new spot between 3rd and 4th Ave would be at the very left edge of the picture (or possibly just out of frame) above the Standard Furniture Co. building.

Cliffe

Harborview Hospital (later Harborview Medical Center) is the large white building visible on the top of the hill, far towards the right of the shot.

Harborview took the place on Profanity Hill of the original King County Courthouse and Jail at the corner of 8th and Terrace. The Courthouse was closed in 1931 and operations were moved to the County-City building (the first five floors of the current King County Courthouse) .

Harborview was erected in the portion of the courthouse parcel just to the east of the vacant courthouse in 1930 - 1931, and Harborview was opened in 1931.

The slim building behind Harborview, visible on this postcard, which houses additional Harborview offices, as well as the Coroner (now Medical Examiner), was completed in 1933.

That gives us a floor of 1933 for dating this view.

Further support for a mid-30’s date:
Sisters of Providence Hospital, center top, also shows the northern addition to the building which changed it from being perfectly symmetrical at some point after 1929. Postcards exist on Historylink dated 1929 which still show photos of the hospital completely symmetrical and in balance with the bell tower as this, the Sisters’ second hospital building, was originally built to be in 1917.

The Roosevelt Hotel at 7th and Pine is just out of frame to the far left of the shot and cannot be seen.

Nice one, everyone.

You’re all winners.

Cliffe

The Standard Furniture company building in the picture is the current Nordstrom Rack building at 2nd and Pine. It was built in 1908 as one of the first commercial buildings north of University. Since the area around it is all built up in the picture and the caption calls the area “Seattle’s Shopping and Business District” it has to be many years after 1908. That plus the old pre-1929 Bon Marche location and presence of the new Northern Life building puts it at least at 1929.

Based on the fact that building shadows appear to be streching almost directly east in the picture, I would say it is afternoon on a sunny day in mid-June 1929 near the summer solstice.