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| Air view of the modern busy University District, adjoining the University of Washington Campus at Seattle, Washington. The Edmond Meany Hotel is in the center of the picture. Ektachrome by Max R. Jensen. |
Jensen’s U. District Air View
March 12th, 2010 @ 12:05 am by Cliffe | Sorted Past Post |
Today we have a simple University District “air view” from the legendary Max R. Jensen. If you don’t know Jensen’s work from the 40′s through the 80′s documenting every facet of Seattle, now is a good time to study up in the archives. Click for the high res.
This view is looking north-east – 45th St NE starts at the lower left corner and 12th Avenue NE starts at the lower right (approximate bird’s eye view at http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=ry97dz4t6h7g&scene=37476084&lvl=1&sty=b).
The large church near the top is University Presbyterian Church – the east side of 15th Ave. NE between NE 45th & NE 47th.
The “U” shaped building at the upper left is on the northeast corner of University Way NE & NE 47th St.
The tall building at the center with the “Hotel” sign is on the corner of Brooklyn Ave NE and NE 45th St.
To the south, the “General Insurance Co. of America” build is the current site of the “Safeco” building.
The old General Insurance Building (long gone) with the General Insurance neon sign (was that the old name for Safeco?). Across the street due west of the hotel (back then a Westin – what ever the old name was of that company) they are just building was was to become a bank, now home to a fast food place. Lots of missing houses… I figure about 1950?
The cars are a little hard to make out, but judging by the shapes and all the two-tone color combinations, I would date this to mid-50s.
I’m intrigued; the Neptune Theater takes up not only the space once occupied by this General Insurance Bldg, but also the space occupied by the next building over. And yet the Neptune looks a little hodge-podgy, as though it had been cobbled together from two different buildings. In current aerial views, there are some atria visible in the roof that appear to be letting light and air down into windows that would at one time have been in a wall at the lot line between these two halves of the theater. Is the shorter, auditorium part (Southern half) of the Neptune really just the building shown here next to the General Insurance Bldg, only remodelled? Anybody know the story?