Amman (Spokane, Washington)
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Amman / Ammann
| nrhp_type =
| image = Amman Building NRHP 87000086 Spokane County, WA.jpg
| caption =
| location = W. 1516 Riverside, Spokane, Washington
| coordinates = {{coord|47|39|23.9|N|117|26|5.1|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = United States Spokane
| built = 1904
| architect = Albert Held
| added = February 12, 1987
| area = less than one acre
| mpsub = {{NRHP url|id=64000891|title=Apartment Buildings by Albert Held TR}}
}}
Amman or Ammann,{{cite web |title=Historic Spokane |url=https://properties.historicspokane.org/property/?PropertyID=2146 |website=properties.historicspokane.org |access-date=18 June 2022}} in the Browne's Addition neighborhood of Spokane, Washington is a building constructed in 1904. It was designed by architect Albert Held.{{cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation: Apartment Buildings by Albert Held Thematic Group|url={{NRHP url|id=64000891}} |date=July 20, 1986|author=Nancy Gale Compau and Leonard T. Garfield}} The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Although the National Register of Historic Places list the property under the name Amman the Spokane Register of Historic Places lists the building as Ammann.{{cite web |title=Spokane Register of Historic Places Nomination - Ammann Apartments |url=https://properties.historicspokane.org/_pdf/properties/property-2146.pdf |access-date=18 June 2022}}
As of 2022, the building is known as The Dormitory and home to a mix of retail and office space surrounding the central common area on the first and second stories.{{cite web |title=The Dormitory |url=https://selkirkdev.com/property/the-dormitory-building |website=selkirkdev.com |publisher=Selkirk Development |access-date=29 June 2022}} Retail on the first floor, as of 2022 includes a coffee shop and roaster,{{cite news |last1=Mulligan |first1=Michaela |title=Ladder Coffee serves house-roasted coffee and handcrafted toast at its new Spokane shop |url=https://www.inlander.com/spokane/ladder-coffee-serves-house-roasted-coffee-and-handcrafted-toast-at-its-new-downtown-spokane-shop/Content?oid=15108998 |access-date=29 June 2022 |work=The Inlander |date=29 November 2018}} and a bakery and cheese shop.{{cite news |last1=Richards |first1=Destiny |title=Rind And Wheat: New specialty bakery and cheese shop opens in downtown Spokane |url=https://www.kxly.com/rind-and-wheat-new-specialty-bakery-and-cheese-shop-opens-in-downtown-spokane/ |access-date=29 June 2022 |work=KXLY-TV |date=21 October 2020}}
History
In August 1903, the lot Amman stands on was sold to Caroline Ammann by the Northwestern and Pacific Hypotheekbank.{{cite news |title=Real Estate Transfers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103970387/real-estate-transfers/ |access-date=18 June 2022 |work=The Spokesman-Review |date=7 August 1903 |pages=12}} Construction began by March 1904, when Apartment units in the building were advertised in the local paper, The Spokesman-Review. The building was used as housing until 1985, when it underwent a National Park Service certified rehabilitation turning the apartments into office space. The renovation was done by Wells & Company, a company specializing in certified renovations of old and historic buildings.{{cite web |url=http://wellsandcompany.biz/projects/1516-west-riverside/ |title=1516 West Riverside (Amman Apartments) |publisher=Wells & Company |accessdate=25 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416150620/http://wellsandcompany.biz/projects/1516-west-riverside/ |archive-date=16 April 2017 |url-status=dead}} The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of a thematic group containing San Marco, Breslin and Knickerbocker Apartment Buildings.{{cite web |url=http://ublog.naiglobal.com/naiblack/2015/08/19/apartment-spotlight-breslin-apartments/ |title=Apartment Spotlight: The Breslin Apartments |publisher=NAI Global |accessdate=25 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504232352/http://ublog.naiglobal.com/naiblack/2015/08/19/apartment-spotlight-breslin-apartments/ |archive-date=4 May 2016 |url-status=dead}}
Description
The two-story building sits on a tree lined street in Browne's Addition, the neighborhood has a uniquely residential feel considering its proximity to the city center. The lot to the west of the building is used for parking. Due to its location, the building offers views of the Spokane River. Of the buildings in the thematic group, the Amman Apartments had the simplest design, with a square footprint rather than the U, H and L shapes of the other apartment buildings built by Held. The building design can most easily be described as classical. The apartment units had clear delineation of living and entertainment spaces by use of narrow hallways in order to separate the design from common "railroad" plans. Another unique feature is that all rooms had an exterior view, instead of the common light court of the era. The common hallway features a large curved stairway and access to the balcony above the portico on the second story.
Gallery
Amman Entrance.png|Detail view of the main entrance
Amman Staircase.png|Staircase to second story
Amman Second Floor.png|Second story showing parallel staircases
References
{{reflist}}
{{National Register of Historic Places}}
Category:Residential buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
Category:Residential buildings completed in 1904
Category:Buildings and structures in Spokane, Washington
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Spokane, Washington