With brick masonry walls, sturdy flooring, and heavy old-growth beams, this former two-story warehouse and hardwood carpentry shop showcases its roots in Seattle’s industrial boom. Rehabilitation and enhancement of its historic features were top of mind for the team.
Now incorporated into the Amazon South Lake Union campus, the seismic renovation brought the building up to current code and enabled its rebirth as a home for popular Tom Douglas restaurants.
After two first-floor columns were removed, load was distributed through steel channel to other supports, and footings were reinforced to compensate for previous poor capacity.
The resulting open floor plan is better suited for dining and kitchen functions. The south façade features new period-sensitive windows and doors, improving building access and drawing light into dining areas. The second level terrace, repurposed service alley space, is overwhelmingly popular during warm weather.
The team conducted a detailed analysis of this historic building’s strengths and provided a targeted seismic renovation plan, reducing construction complexity and visual impact. While virtually all seismic bracing is visible, the exposed braced frames and drag struts contribute to, rather than distract from, the building’s character.
The project features the first green roof installed on a designated Seattle Landmark, made possible because of the building’s exceptionally strong wood deck system.
An activated public plaza improves accessibility and is an imaginative approach to stormwater management. Stormwater flows through a multi-story, tiered planter alongside a staircase to free-flowing ponds. Verdant plantings in these ponds treat the runoff and beautify the plaza.
Photography © Mike Walmsley