What is Smith Tower in Seattle?
Smith Tower is a skyscraper in Pioneer Square in Seattle, Washington. Completed in 1914, the 38- story, 484 ft (148 m) tower is the oldest skyscraper in the city, and was among the tallest skyscrapers outside New York City at the time of its completion. It was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River until...
How many apartments are in Smith Tower Senior Living?
Smith Tower’s senior living community; offers 170 studio and one-bedroom apartments. Our apartments come with air-conditioning, fully equipped kitchens and private balconies. Studio apartments approximate living space is 380 square feet, and One-Bedrooms range from 650 to 750 square feet.
Will Smith Tower be the third tallest office building in the world?
With the passage of a bond to purchase the city hall site and assurance from mayor Hiram C. Gill and the city council, the proposed Smith Tower would be the third tallest office building in the world behind only the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower and Singer Building in New York City.
What architectural firm designed Smith Tower?
New York architectural firm Gaggin & Gaggin designed Smith Tower. They had never previously designed a building taller than five stories. Smith Tower was their first and last skyscraper.
What is the Smith Tower?
When was Smith Tower built?
How many stories did the Wirth Corner building have?
What company provided the elevators at the Otis building?
Who bought Smith Tower?
Who built the Daniels and Fisher Tower?
Who was the most famous person who built the Pioneer Square?
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About this website
Does anyone live in the Smith Tower?
- Petra Franklin, the woman who lives at the top of the Smith Tower with her two daughters, often hosts gatherings like lectures and concerts for the public.
How long was the Smith Tower the tallest building?
“The Smith Tower, 500-foot-tall building, will lose the crown it has worn nearly 50 years as the tallest office structure on the Pacific Coast to a new building in San Francisco,” the Times reported. May 1976: Although the property had changed hands several times, it hadn't ever had a celebrity owner.
How tall is the Smith Tower?
462′, 484′ to tipSmith Tower / Height
How old is the Smith Tower?
108Smith Tower / Age (c. 1914)
What is the Space Needle used for?
The Space Needle offers 360-degree views from its three main viewing areas – an indoor observation deck and open-air viewing area located at 520 feet, and an observation level featuring a revolving glass floor located 500 feet above ground.
How old is the oldest building in Seattle?
Having been built in 1882, it is one of the oldest houses in Seattle....Ward House (Seattle)Built1882Architectural styleVictorianNRHP reference No.72001277Significant datesAdded to NRHP16 March 19728 more rows
How many stories is the Space Needle?
6Space Needle / Floors
Is Smith Tower free?
Tickets are available for $19 in the Observatory Check-In (two doors down from the main lobby) Wednesday – Sunday. Food & beverage will be available beginning at 3 PM. Admission ends and last elevator ride up is one hour before the Observatory Restaurant & Bar close.
When was the Space Needle built?
April 17, 1961Space Needle / Construction started
Why was the Smith Tower built?
After consulting with Clise about what kind of building Seattle's economy would bear, his son, Burns Lyman Smith, convinced him to build instead a much taller skyscraper to steal the crown from rival city Tacoma's National Realty Building as the tallest west of the Mississippi River.
Who owns the Smith Tower in Seattle?
The purchase is part of a nearly $750 million portfolio of buildings being acquired in the Seattle and Denver areas.
Is the CN tower taller than the Space Needle?
At 1,815 feet the CN Tower is exactly three times taller than our our beloved landmark. It has two observation decks. The SkyPod, at 1,465 feet, is nearly a thousand feet higher than the Needle's viewing platform.
Was the Smith Tower the tallest building in Seattle?
EXPLORE A HISTORIC ICON & EXPERIENCE A WORLD‑FAMOUS OBSERVATORY. In 1914, Smith Tower became the first skyscraper in Seattle and the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
How many stories is the Space Needle?
6Space Needle / Floors
What is the tallest building west of the Mississippi?
The Wilshire Grand Tower in downtown Los Angeles has officially been crowned the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, after the topping out of its spire on Saturday, September 10th. This skyscraper is not only relevant for its height but also for its unique shape.
When was the Space Needle built?
April 17, 1961Space Needle / Construction started
Moira Holley Presents | The Penthouse at Smith Tower
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure a 12 month minimum lease in the only private residence atop Seattle’s iconic Smith Tower, owned and managed by Unico Properties. This extraordinary “Urban Lighthouse’ space, cleverly renovated by Graham Baba Architects and Valor Builds, incorporates elegant modern touches, while retaining its original architectural character. One bedroom, a guest ...
What is the Smith Tower?
Today, Smith Tower is home to the famous Observatory, thirty-fifth-floor bar, Legends of Smith Tower exhibits, ground-floor retail store, special events space, and office leasing. For over a century, visitors have come here to take in Seattle from above, relax, and have a good time.
When was the Smith Tower opened?
On the day Smith Tower opened to the public, July 4, 1914, 4,200 people travelled to the thirty-fifth-floor Observatory in the original Otis elevator we still use today. They paid only 25 cents for the ride. Originally, there were 540 offices, six retail stores, two telegraph offices, and a public telephone station in the building. Today, Smith Tower is home to the famous Observatory, thirty-fifth-floor bar, Legends of Smith Tower exhibits, ground-floor retail store, special events space, and office leasing.
Who provided the elevators at Smith Tower?
Smith Tower was their first and last skyscraper. Smith Tower's historic elevators were provided by the Otis Elevator Company and one of the seven operated elevators is still powered by its original DC motor.
Who is the founder of Smith Tower?
Smith Tower was the vision of Lyman Cornelius (L.C.) Smith , an industrialist from New York who made a fortune selling typewriters and firearms. L.C.'s wife fell in love with Seattle and convinced him to purchase the land at Second Avenue and Yesler that would eventually become Smith Tower.
Who was the stuntman that parachuted off the Smith Tower?
In 1922, a one-armed stunt man (Mink de Ronda) successfully parachuted off Smith Tower, which at that time was the fourth tallest building in the world!
How many stories are there in the Smith Tower?
One could reasonably conclude that the Smith Tower had 36 stories when it opened, counting the odd 34th floor that was not meant for human occupancy. Decades later, a caretaker's apartment was built on the 36th floor, and its top could be considered floor number 37.
How tall is the Smith Tower?
When Seattle's pyramid-capped Smith Tower officially opened on July 4, 1914, its greatest claim to fame was its 462-foot height. It was originally one of the tallest buildings in the country outside of New York, and was the tallest west of Ohio. This territorial hegemony steadily shrank as higher buildings marched westward: By 1923 it was the tallest west of Chicago, by 1931 the tallest west of Kansas City, and by 1943 the tallest west of Dallas, but it did remain the tallest building west of the Rockies for nearly half a century. At birth it was nearly twice as tall as the previously highest building in town (the 247-foot clock tower of the King Street Station), but by 1985 it was less than half the height of the 937-foot Bank of America Tower (originally Columbia Center.)
How tall is the Seattle building?
Plans on file with Seattle's Department of Planning and Development reveal that the building is about 462 feet tall (the drawings are not fully dimensioned, and some scaling is required), using standard definitions of height which do not include flagpoles as part of the calculation.
How many times has the Smith Tower changed hands?
Altogether, the building has changed hands 12 times . On more than one occasion it was studied as a possible city- or county-owned office building, but found to be unsuited for such a role each time. (However, government agencies have leased space there on occasion.) Its most famous owner was restaurateur Ivar Haglund, who watched the building rise as a child, and acquired it in the 1970s. To the consternation of preservationists, (but very likely to the building's esthetic benefit) he removed the heavy masonry balusters from the edge of the observation balcony and substituted a lighter cage of white-painted steel bars. Reputedly, Haglund was the only owner to make money on his Smith Tower investment.
How many stories is the Burns Smith building?
Smith died in 1910, and in October of that year Burns Smith announced that "the structure will be 42 stories high, and not one story less. It will be finished as finely as money and brains know how. As far as possible, local materials will be used and local labor employed.".
What was the first skyscraper?
Historical significance: It has been called one of the world's first skyscrapers. Chicago's Home Insurance Building , generally considered to be the first skyscraper, was completed 30 years before the Smith Tower.
What was the first fireproof building in Seattle?
Local Superlatives: It has often been described as Seattle's first fireproof building, its first steel-framed building, and its first skyscraper.
How many apartments are there in Smith Tower?
Smith Tower’s senior living community; offers 170 studio and one-bedroom apartments. Our apartments come with air-conditioning, fully equipped kitchens and private balconies. Studio apartments approximate living space is 380 square feet, and One-Bedrooms range from 650 to 750 square feet. Enjoy the convenience of a laundry facility located in the building as well as a recreation room. Those that qualifying for Federal Rent Subsidies pay 30% of their adjusted gross income for rent. Apartments are unfurnished so you can bring your own furnishings and create your own personal warm and inviting home while taking advantage of the safety, security, and common areas that Smith Tower has to offer.
Where is Smith Tower in Vancouver?
Situated in beautiful downtown Vancouver, Washington its easy to explore the many urban opportunities that surround our building. Whether you feel like staying home a reading a good book, taking a walk to a nearby coffee shop, or playing cards with a group of friends living at Smith Tower Apartments makes the choice yours!
How many floors does the Smith Tower have?
Franklin moved out in 2019, according to Unico. Attempts to reach her were unsuccessful. Smith Tower includes 33 floors of office space and, as of 2016, a bar and viewing deck on the 35th floor.
Who designed the Smith Tower penthouse?
Architect Jim Castanes, who designed the penthouse in the late 1990s, said it needed a dramatic transformation. “It was just a mess up there,” Castanes said of the top floors of Smith Tower. “All we saw was a bunch of pipes, mechanical stuff and the catwalks that went up.”. Names and dates scrawled on the walls dated to the 1920s, he said.
How long is Petra Franklin's penthouse lease?
Venture capitalist Petra Franklin famously remodeled the space into a penthouse with a 20-year lease that has now ended. The new lease would be for three to five years or longer, said listing agent Moira Holley. Holley said she has received “several serious inquiries,” including families with children.
Where is the penthouse in Seattle?
For the right long-term commitment, a Seattle renter could snag a unique apartment that has never been on the market before: the pyramid-shaped penthouse atop Seattle’s historical Smith Tower.
Does Unico disclose lease details?
Unico declined to disclose financial details of the previous lease.
Is the Franklin penthouse open?
The penthouse is not open for public viewing and tours by would-be tenants require pre-qualification, according to Unico Properties, which owns the building along with Goldman Sachs affiliate Broad Street Principal Investments. Franklin moved out in 2019, according to Unico. Attempts to reach her were unsuccessful.
What is the Smith Tower?
Smith Tower is an example of neoclassical architecture. Its outer skin is granite on the first and second floors, and terracotta on the rest. The exterior has been washed only once in 1976.
When was Smith Tower built?
References. Smith Tower is a skyscraper in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Completed in 1914, the 38- story, 484 ft (148 m) tower is the oldest skyscraper in the city and was among the tallest skyscrapers outside New York City at the time of its completion. It was the tallest building west ...
How many stories did the Wirth Corner building have?
During a trip to Seattle in 1909, Smith began planning a 14-story building for the Wirth Corner. His son, Burns Lyman Smith, convinced him to build instead a much taller skyscraper to steal the crown from rival city Tacoma 's National Realty Building as the tallest west of the Mississippi River.
What company provided the elevators at the Otis building?
The building was one of the last on the West Coast to employ elevator operators. The Otis Elevator Company provided the elevators, which have brass surfaces. The original doors were latticed scissor gates, so a rider could see into each hallway and through the glass walls in front of each office. The elevators were automated and modernized beginning in 2017, for faster service time and seismic safety, with new glass doors still allowing riders a view into the hallways and lobbies.
Who bought Smith Tower?
In January 2015, Seattle-based real estate investment and operating company Unico Properties bought Smith Tower for $73.7 million. Later that year, the new owners stopped the visitor tour and began remodeling the public areas, including the Chinese Room, which had been closed since 2014.
Who built the Daniels and Fisher Tower?
On September 5, 1911, the first contracts for general construction and excavation were signed by the New York-based Whitney-Steen Company , who had recently constructed the Daniels & Fisher Tower in Denver, Colorado and had several international projects under their belts.
Who was the most famous person who built the Pioneer Square?
Among his largest clients at the turn of the century was Syracuse, New York millionaire industrialist Lyman Cornelius Smith and his brother W.L. Smith who, through Clise, purchased and developed numerous buildings in Seattle's Pioneer Square district.
