Seattle Times Building
{{short description|Former headquarters of The Seattle Times newspaper}}
{{distinguish|text=the Times Square Building}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Seattle Times Building
| image = Seattle Times Building 05.jpg
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| image_caption = The building's exterior in 2007
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| building_type = Office building
| architectural_style = Art Deco
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| location = Seattle, Washington, U.S.
| address = 1120 John Street
| coordinates = {{coords|47|37|12.8|N|122|20|06.5|W|display=inline,title|region:US-WA}}
| groundbreaking_date =
| start_date =
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| opened_date = {{start date|1931|03|02}}
| inauguration_date =
| relocated_date =
| renovation_date = 1947, 1964, 1968, 1979
| closing_date = 2011
| demolition_date = 2016–2017
| cost =
| client = The Seattle Times
| owner = Onni Group
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| height = {{convert|27|ft|m}}
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| structural_system =
| material = Reinforced concrete, Indiana limestone
| size =
| floor_count = 5
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| architect = Robert C. Reamer
| architecture_firm = Metropolitan Building Company
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| main_contractor = Teufel & Carlson Builders
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{{Infobox designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Seattle Landmark
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| designation1_date = March 11, 1996{{cite web |author=Seattle City Council |date=March 15, 1996 |title=City of Seattle Ordinance 118046 |url=http://clerk.seattle.gov/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?s3=&s4=118046&s5=&s1=&s2=&S6=&Sect4=AND&l=0&Sect2=THESON&Sect3=PLURON&Sect5=CBORY&Sect6=HITOFF&d=ORDF&p=1&u=%2F~public%2Fcbor1.htm&r=1&f=G |work=City of Seattle Legislative Information Service |publisher=Office of the City Clerk |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
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}}
The Seattle Times Building was an office building in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. It served as the former headquarters of The Seattle Times from 1931 to 2011, replacing the earlier Times Square Building. The three-story building was originally built in 1931 and later expanded to accommodate more office space and larger presses.
The exterior and roof of the Seattle Times Building were designated a city landmark in 1996. Designed by Robert C. Reamer with elements of the Art Deco and Moderne styles, the reinforced concrete building was representative of early 20th century architecture in Seattle.
The newspaper moved out of the building in 2011 and sold it in 2013 to Onni Group, a Canadian real estate developer, who plans to build four residential skyscrapers on the site and adjacent parking lot to the south. Onni plans to preserve the building's facade and integrate it into the podium of a {{convert|240|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} building, converting it into a rooftop balcony. Demolition of the building began in October 2016, after incidents involving squatters on the property.
Architecture and design
File:Seattle Times Building 06.jpg
The Seattle Times Building was situated on a full city block bounded to the south by John Street, to the west by Boren Avenue North, to the north by Thomas Street, and to the east by Fairview Avenue North; the complex was located in the South Lake Union neighborhood north of Denny Way. The complex was composed of six buildings, including the original office building and printing plant built in 1931 and several additions. Most of the buildings were made of reinforced concrete, with some Indiana limestone used in the oldest buildings' facades.{{cite web |date=August 15, 1995 |title=Report on Designation: Seattle Times Building |url=http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/Neighborhoods/HistoricPreservation/Landmarks/RelatedDocuments/seattle-times-building-designation.pdf |publisher=City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
The original building, which measured {{convert|135|ft|m}} long, {{convert|68|ft|m}} wide, and {{convert|24|ft|m}} high,{{cite news |date=September 21, 1930 |title=The New Homes of The Seattle Times |page=2 |work=The Seattle Times}} was designed in 1930 by Robert C. Reamer, noted for his work in Seattle's Metropolitan Tract as well as Yellowstone National Park.{{cite news |last=Kreisman |first=Lawrence |date=February 27, 2004 |title=Mountain Magic: In lodges, a Seattle architect honors the adventurous spirit |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20040227/pacific-pnwl29/mountain-magic-in-lodges-a-seattle-architect-honors-the-adventurous-spirit |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}} The building was described as an Art Deco piece featuring elements that would later be used in Moderne architecture. Its symmetrical columns and massing were drawn from Beaux Arts classicism, with elements of minimalism; Reamer was also influenced by Paul Philippe Cret's calls for "starved classicism".
The front entrance of the 1931 office building, on the southeast corner of the block, faced south on John Street towards Downtown Seattle and had the newspaper's name etched into the stone above the main entrance; the sign was supplemented for several decades by an ornate golden sign with the newspaper's letterhead that was installed above the main entrance. The exterior of the office building had subtle details, including etched columns and aluminum grillwork on the windows, forgoing ornaments for a simpler design that emphasized its mass.{{cite news |last=Reamer |first=Robert C. |authorlink=Robert Reamer |date=June 1931 |title=The "Seattle Times" Building |pages=19–26 |work=The Architect and Engineer |volume=105 |issue=3 |location=San Francisco |url=https://archive.org/stream/architectenginee10531sanf#page/n254/mode/1up |via=The Internet Archive |access-date=September 6, 2016}} The main entrance was behind an elaborate aluminum gate, decorated with octagons, spirals and floral patterns. At the sides of the entrance were limestone panels with floral patterns carved into relief.
Inside the public lobby of the building were walls and floors made of light tan Botticino marble, the latter in a terrazzo pattern. The rest of the building used rubber tile for flooring, colored green and brown. The printing plant attached to the office building, as well as the later additions, had simpler designs cast entirely in reinforced concrete.
History
File:Seattle Times building, circa 1970s (24968791244).jpg
From 1916 onward, the Blethen Building near modern-day McGraw Square was the headquarters and printing plant for The Seattle Times, one of Seattle's two daily newspapers. The newspaper had been founded in 1896 and moved from two previous offices and printing plants, each time relocating further and further north of the city's historic central business district. By 1930, the newspaper's circulation averaged over 100,000 copies per day and the strain of its growth had caused the location to run out of office space and present logistical problems with printing and distribution, especially as Stewart Street, used by delivery trucks and nicknamed "Times Alley", had grown to become a major thoroughfare for automobile traffic.{{cite news |date=March 1, 1931 |title=Times in New Building Tomorrow |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}
In the summer of 1929, The Seattle Times Company unveiled plans to build a new complex of buildings along Fairview Avenue in the Cascade neighborhood for their new offices and printing plant, to be a modern class A office with {{convert|120,000|sqft|sqm}} of floor space.{{cite news |date=August 30, 1929 |title=Seattle Times To Build |page=2 |work=The Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |via=Google News Archive |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19290830&id=4KhXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xPMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6772,7107985&hl=en |access-date=September 6, 2016}} The old building was built to be readily converted into a traditional office building; previous plans had called for the building to be raised to nine stories to accommodate the newspaper's growth.{{cite news |date=August 29, 1929 |title=Times Plans New Home On Fairview |pages=1–2 |work=The Seattle Times}} A groundbreaking ceremony was held by the newspaper's staff and the Metropolitan Building Company on September 26, 1929, both of whom expected the project to be completed the following year.{{cite news |date=September 26, 1929 |title=Work Begins On Times' New Home |pages=1–2 |work=The Seattle Times}} The building's foundations were designed and built to support a possible 20- to 30-story skyscraper above the three-story office.{{cite news |date=December 29, 1929 |title=Building in Seattle Due For Big Gain |page=12 |work=The Seattle Times}} The $1.25 million project (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|1.25|1931|r=2}} million in {{Inflation-year|US}}) was partially funded through $600,000 in bonds advertised in the Times.{{cite news |date=June 9, 1930 |title=$600,000 Bonds Issued For New Times Building |page=26 |work=The Seattle Times}}{{Inflation-fn|US}} Construction on the site began on June 9, 1930, with major excavation by general contractors Teufel & Carlson.{{cite news |date=March 15, 1931 |title=Construction of New Home Began on June 9, 1930 |page=HC-7 |work=The Seattle Times}}
To prepare for the moving of printing presses, the Times began publishing shorter versions of its dailies in December 1930.{{cite news |last=Blethen |first=C. B. |date=December 9, 1930 |title=An Explanation |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}} The newspaper began publishing at the new building on March 2, 1931, using a press capable of printing 40,000 copies per hour.{{cite news |date=March 1, 1931 |title=Moving of Times to New Home Gigantic Task |page=16 |work=The Seattle Times}} The new facility was heralded as "the finest plant yet built for an American newspaper" by the paper's publisher, C.B. Blethen;{{cite news |date=March 15, 1931 |title=Times' New Plant Without Newspaper Peers |page=HC-2 |work=The Seattle Times}} other newspapers from around the state of Washington congratulated the Times on their move and complimented the building and plant on their modernity and functionality.{{cite news |date=March 15, 1931 |title=What the State Thinks: Times Moving |page=HC-6 |work=The Seattle Times}} The building's location on Fairview Avenue gave rise to a nickname, "Fairview Fanny", coined by Teamster columnist Ed Donohoe to refer the newspaper's reputation as a stodgy and slow-to-change paper.{{cite news |last=Duncan |first=Don |date=October 21, 1980 |title=Ed Donohoe: A Don Quixote who rarely misses |page=7 |work=The Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |via=Google News Archive |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19801021&id=XvhLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ve4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7060,2619934&hl=en |access-date=September 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Rick |date=February 22, 2012 |title=For Sale: The Seattle Times – Its Historic Headquarters, Anyway, for Twice Its Value |url=http://archive.seattleweekly.com/home/937543-129/media |work=Seattle Weekly |access-date=September 6, 2016 |archive-date=January 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124012834/http://archive.seattleweekly.com/home/937543-129/media |url-status=dead }}
=Additions and renovations=
The first major addition to the building, a three-story office building with {{convert|7,500|sqft|sqm}} of floor space primarily for the classified advertisements department, was completed to the west in 1947. The $125,000 project was postponed during World War II because of a shortage in materials, resulting in cramped conditions as circulation had, during the building's 16-year history, doubled to more than 175,000 daily and 225,000 on Sundays. A gold, illuminated sign with the Times logo in {{convert|6|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} letters was also placed atop the building's entrance on John Street.{{cite news |date=March 4, 1947 |title=Times Matches City's Progress: Work Is Begun on Three-Story Addition |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}{{cite news |date=December 14, 1947 |title=The Times Strides Forward with Seattle |pages=8–9 |work=The Seattle Times}} In 1950, the building was expanded to the north by {{convert|150,000|sqft|sqm}}, housing a larger mailing room, a new newsroom, and offices for the Associated Press bureau and Sunday departments.{{cite news |date=April 7, 1963 |title=Business Gain Forced Times To Construct New Plants |page=23 |work=The Seattle Times}} A clock and temperature sign on the southeast corner of the building was installed in December 1959, with text reading "Today's News Today"; it sparked comparisons to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer{{'s}} globe that was installed in 1948, used as symbols of each paper's philosophy.{{cite news |last=Duncan |first=Don |date=January 14, 1981 |title=Global issue: What about P.-I. landmark? |page=A7 |work=The Seattle Times}}{{cite news |date=January 3, 1960 |title='The Times' Time |page=7 |work=The Seattle Times}} The clock was later changed to read "Since 1896" and a digital temperature display was added below; it was stopped permanently at 2:40 when the building was vacated.{{cite news |last=Mapes |first=Lynda V. |date=February 16, 2017 |title=History coming down: Old Seattle Times building tumbling |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/history-coming-down-old-seattle-times-building-tumbling/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=April 26, 2017}}
Post-war growth in newspaper readership prompted an even larger, $3.5 million expansion in 1964 to fit eight-unit presses and a new three-story press room to the west of the printing plant.{{cite news |date=July 16, 1964 |title=Expansion, New Equipment Bring Later News Home Sooner |page=16 |work=The Seattle Times}} Four years later, an even larger $6 million addition would use up the last of the surface parking lots on the property's block, building a two-story newsroom clad in reinforced concrete instead of the limestone used on the 1931 building; a skybridge was built across an alley to connect to the older office building.{{cite news |date=March 26, 1967 |title=Each New Press Can Run 60,000 Papers an Hour |page=39 |work=The Seattle Times}}{{cite news |date=April 21, 1968 |title=$6 Million Times Expansion Nears Finishing Stages |page=34 |work=The Seattle Times}} In 1979, the new newsroom was renovated and modernized and a nearby alley was filled and enclosed.{{cite web |author=The Johnson Partnership |date=October 2014 |title=Seattle Times Building Complex—Printing Plant Landmark Nomination |url=http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/Neighborhoods/HistoricPreservation/Landmarks/CurrentNominations/SeattleTimes-Building-Complex-Printing-Plant.pdf |publisher=City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
On May 23, 1983, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer began its joint operating agreement with the Times, leading to both newspapers printing their dailies and combined Sunday edition at the Seattle Times Building;{{cite news |last=Brazier |first=Don |date=May 22, 1983 |title=Start to finish: The JOA begins and a career ends |page=A28 |work=The Seattle Times}} the joint operation would cease in 2009 after the P-I ceased publication and moved to an online-only format.{{cite news |last1=Richman |first1=Dan |last2=James |first2=Andrea |date=March 16, 2009 |title=Seattle P-I to publish last edition Tuesday |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Seattle-P-I-to-publish-last-edition-Tuesday-1302597.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=February 2, 2017}} The move prompted the Times to purchase additional land for future expansion, including the Troy Laundry Building to the north, for a total of {{convert|14|acre}} in the South Lake Union neighborhood.{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Polly |date=March 6, 1985 |title=Expansion Cited in Times Purchase |page=B5 |work=The Seattle Times}} Printing of both papers would later be supplemented by a $150 million satellite plant in Bothell that opened in 1992, with options to build other plants in Renton and downtown Seattle reportedly under consideration.{{cite news |last=Alexander |first=Karen |date=May 22, 1992 |title=The Times' North Creek Presses Debut In A Smooth Run |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920522/1493300/the-times-north-creek-presses-debut-in-a-smooth-run |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
Planned redevelopment
{{External media|float=right|image1=[http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20140715/OnniTowers2_big.jpg Rendering of proposed use of Times Building as a rooftop deck] (DJC)}}
On March 11, 1996, the Seattle City Council designated the exterior and roof of the original 1931 building as a Seattle city landmark, having approved a recommendation from the Landmarks Preservation Board. The move was prompted by a long-term proposal from The Seattle Times Company to redevelop their land in South Lake Union, at a cost of $150 million while preserving the historic character of the two buildings.{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Peter |date=August 3, 1995 |title=Landmarks Board Rejects Times' Request |page=B3 |work=The Seattle Times}} The plans included two 10-story office buildings, a larger printing plant, and a multilevel parking garage.{{cite news |date=March 12, 1996 |title=The Times Wins Zoning For New Plant |page=B2 |work=The Seattle Times}}{{cite news |last=Serrano |first=Barbara A. |date=May 16, 1996 |title=South Lake Union Changing, Commons Or No Commons |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19960516/2329531/south-lake-union-changing-commons-or-no-commons----with-10-projects-in-works-its-the-hottest-development-area-in-the-city-right-now |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
The Seattle Times Company began selling parcels of its land in South Lake Union to real estate developers in 2004 to avoid layoffs and to pay for legal fees during a court battle against the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.{{cite news |last=McOmber |first=J. Martin |date=June 15, 2004 |title=Vulcan to buy land from Times |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2001956199_vulcan15.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}} In January 2011, The Times Company announced their plans to move out of the Seattle Times Building and into the 1000 Denny Building a block away, with the former building readied for redevelopment.{{cite news |date=January 27, 2011 |title=Times sells building to California real-estate investors |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2014059205_denny28.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Aubrey |date=January 27, 2011 |title=Seattle Times moving out of historic headquarters (Seattle Times) |url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/realestatenews/2011/01/27/seattle-times-moving-out-of-historic-headquarters-seattle-times/ |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=September 6, 2016 |archive-date=January 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124012847/http://blog.seattlepi.com/realestatenews/2011/01/27/seattle-times-moving-out-of-historic-headquarters-seattle-times/ |url-status=dead }} The following year, the company began marketing the two remaining blocks they owned, including the Times Building and a parking lot to the south, asking for $80 million total.{{cite news |last=Pryne |first=Eric |date=February 21, 2012 |title=Seattle Times Co. explores sale of two blocks in South Lake Union |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/business/seattle-times-co-explores-sale-of-two-blocks-in-south-lake-union/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}} A rezone of South Lake Union was approved by the city council in May 2013, allowing for buildings as tall as {{convert|240|ft|m}} on the properties.{{cite press release |date=May 6, 2013 |title=Seattle City Council passes South Lake Union rezone |url=http://council.seattle.gov/2013/05/06/seattle-city-council-passes-south-lake-union-rezone/ |publisher=Seattle City Council |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
On July 31, 2013, The Times Company announced that the two blocks would be sold to Vancouver-based developer Onni Group for $62.5 million, with $29 million paid for the Times Building in November.{{cite news |last=Bhatt |first=Sanjay |date=July 31, 2013 |title=Seattle Times Co. reaches $62.5M deal for SLU parcels |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021509200_dennysalexml.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016 |archive-date=October 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011114950/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021509200_dennysalexml.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Stiles |first=Marc |date=November 27, 2013 |title=Canadian developer pays $29 million for Seattle Times' old HQ |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/11/27/onni-group-of-vancouver-british.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=September 6, 2016}} In November, the group unveiled their proposal to build four high-rise residential towers on the two blocks, including two {{convert|240|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} towers over the Seattle Times Building.{{cite news |last=Bhatt |first=Sanjay |date=November 19, 2013 |title=Developer proposes 4 residential towers in SLU |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2022287933_timesblocksxml.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016 |archive-date=October 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011114759/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2022287933_timesblocksxml.html |url-status=dead }} The building's landmarked facades are planned to be preserved and restored, and used as a retail podium with a rooftop plaza.{{cite news |last=Stiles |first=Marc |date=May 16, 2014 |title=Condos or apartments? Canadian developer shares details of mega project in Seattle |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2014/05/mega-project-at-south-lake-union-will-have-1-945.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=September 6, 2016}}{{cite web |title=1120 John Street |url=http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/shapingseattle/detail-dev.aspx?id=3015693 |work=Shaping Seattle: Buildings |publisher=Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections |access-date=September 6, 2016}} In 2018, the company submitted new plans for the block that would include two office towers of 16 and 17 stories.{{cite news |last=Minnick |first=Benjamin |date=February 28, 2018 |title=Onni may switch to offices for part of its big SLU development |url=http://www.djc.com/news/co/12108808.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 26, 2018}}
=Squatting incidents=
File:Seattle Times Building boarded up 01.jpg
Since the site was sold to Onni in 2013, a series of incidents with squatters and vandals have drawn attention to security issues at the vacant building. In October 2014, the city of Seattle began exploring legal action over Onni's failure to secure the site; KIRO-TV reported that at least 10 squatters occupied the building, whose first floor had been boarded up.{{cite news |last=Guerrero |first=Maria |date=October 14, 2015 |title=City threatens legal action against owner of building with squatters |url=http://www.kiro7.com/news/vacant-seattle-times-building-occupied-squatters-a/27106385 |publisher=KIRO 7 News |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
On September 30, 2015, the Seattle Police Department cleared the building of squatters, an estimated 50 to 200 people, after unsuccessful attempts by Onni to secure the property. Prior to the operation, the city had received several complaints and medical calls to the building in response to drug overdoses.{{cite news |last=Clarridge |first=Christine |date=September 30, 2015 |title=Former Seattle Times building now home to thieves, squatters |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/old-seattle-times-building-now-home-to-thieves-squatters/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Mark |date=September 29, 2015 |title=Cops clear dozens of squatters out of old Seattle Times building |url=http://komonews.com/news/local/dozens-of-squatters-evicted-from-former-times-building |publisher=KOMO 4 News |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
A series of fires in November 2015,{{cite news |last=Bush |first=Evan |date=November 12, 2015 |title=Fire at old Seattle Times building forces squatters to leave building again |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/smoke-rises-from-old-seattle-times-building/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}} December 2015,{{cite news |date=December 10, 2015 |title=Crews battle another fire at old Seattle Times building |url=http://komonews.com/news/local/crews-battle-another-fire-at-old-seattle-times-building |publisher=KOMO 4 News |access-date=September 6, 2016}} and July 2016 led to a proposal by the city to accelerate the demolition permitting process for the site.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Jessica |last2=Beekman |first2=Daniel |date=February 23, 2016 |title=Squatters to hasten demolition of old Seattle Times building |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/squatters-to-hasten-demolition-of-old-seattle-times-building/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Jessica |date=July 15, 2016 |title=Officials preparing to issue demolition permit for old Seattle Times building |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/officials-preparing-to-issue-demolition-permit-for-old-seattle-times-building/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}} Seattle Fire Department operations battalion chief Bryan Hatings called the building a "death trap" after the July 2016 fire, and reported at least 10 to 12 squatters had been living there.{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Jessica |date=July 13, 2016 |title=Fire quickly put out in vacant old Seattle Times building |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/fire-quickly-put-out-in-vacant-old-seattle-times-building/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
=Demolition and construction=
The demolition of the building's north and west side began in October 2016.{{cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Greg |date=October 18, 2016 |title=Demolition started on Old Seattle Times building |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/photo-video/photo-demolition-started-on-old-seattle-times-building/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=October 22, 2016}} The west side addition was fully demolished by March 2017, and other portions of the complex were demolished by September 2017.{{cite news |last=Minnick |first=Benjamin |date=March 16, 2017 |title=Onni cues up apartment towers as newspaper plant comes down |url=http://www.djc.com/news/co/12098481.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 16, 2017}} Two sides of the facade were preserved and are planned to be integrated into the new building. Work was paused for several years until a master use permit was issued by the city government in March 2022. Excavation of the five-story underground parking garage at the site began later that year. The project, named 1120 John, was planned to include {{convert|935,951|sqft|sqm}} of office and retail space in two buildings that are 16 and 18 stories tall.{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Brian |date=July 20, 2022 |title=Onni starts digging up dirt for offices within landmarked Seattle Times facade |url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12150030.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |accessdate=January 6, 2023}} The complex, designed by Perkins&Will, included skybridges between the two buildings over a central courtyard; {{convert|22,000|sqft|sqm}} of retail space for a grocery store was also included.{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Brian |date=March 14, 2022 |title=Onni secures DNS for north Seattle Times block |url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12147093.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |url-access=subscription |accessdate=October 18, 2023}}
Construction on 1120 John was paused in November 2023 due to a requested design change for the parking garage submitted by Perkins&Will.{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Brian |date=December 13, 2023 |title=Onni pauses 1120 John office project for garage tweaks |url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12160988.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |accessdate=October 26, 2024}} The project was converted into residential by Onni Group in 2024 under architect Perkins Eastman. The updated proposal is for 814 units in a 14-story building and a 49-story building over the partially-built, four-story underground garage.{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Brian |date=October 16, 2024 |title=With new architect, Onni flips 1120 John office plan to apartments |url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12166397.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |accessdate=October 26, 2024}}{{cite news |last=Stiles |first=Marc |date=October 22, 2024 |title=Onni revises plan for towers on former Seattle Times site |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2024/10/22/onni-plan-seattle-times-block-south-lake-union.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |url-access=subscription |accessdate=October 26, 2024}} The east side of the block, facing Boren Avenue, is planned to become a 11-story office building.{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Brian |date=December 9, 2024 |title=A bit more detail about Onni's redo for north Seattle Times block...including future offices |url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12167305.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |accessdate=December 13, 2024}}
References
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External links
{{Portal|Architecture}}
- {{commons category-inline|Seattle Times Building}}
{{South Lake Union, Seattle}}
Category:1931 establishments in Washington (state)
Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1931
Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2016
Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Washington (state)
Category:Robert Reamer buildings
Category:Buildings and structures in South Lake Union, Seattle
Category:The Seattle Times Company
Category:Newspaper headquarters in the United States