Seattle Tours

The first installation of the new-style blog: obituary for the five-story Stanley Apartments, which used to look over the freeway at the southeast corner of 7th and Madison. As you can see below, it was demolished recently, at the age of 95. I took the picture of its demolition on August 30; the picture of its non-existence is taken 17 days later. Just below these is an aerial of the building, plus some info about the Stanley.





























According to tax records it was built in 1910, though other sources suggest 1912. It was first listed in the city directory of 1913, when it was advertised as having "Seattle's most exclusive apartments." It was built by and named for Frank M. Stanley, originally of New York, who was a Seattle real estate man for over half a century. Stanley built several apartment houses around town, which all (besides the Stanley) still exist, including the Lenawee Apartments at the southwest corner of Harvard and Olive. Mr. Stanley lived in the Lenawee at the time of his death in 1940, at the age of 86.

I remember the Stanley Apartments vaguely, as one of those old bricks that make up the First Hill tapestry. The entrance to the apartments faced 7th, which was not a street you walked up, since it is basically an I-5 offramp right there. It was more common to walk past the Stanley along the Madison side, which had several little businesses on the street level. I recall walking deafly past here, and not really wanting to stop because I-5 was so darn loud. I recall wishing that there were better awnings there on a rainy day. There was a little shoe shop, a vietnamese restaurant and a cleaners there. Turns out the space most recently used by "First Hill Cleaners" and "Downtown Cleaner and Tailoring" had been occupied by a clothing cleaners dating way back to at least the Depression, with ownership changing many many times. Here is a picture taken of the street level in 2005. To the left is Madison and to the right is 7th.






















The building once hailed as "seattle's most exclusive apartments" could not maintain its lofty status. Its owners were cited for many housing code violations in the 1980s and 1990s. It was the type of place that the Tenants Union took city and county legislators on their annual tour of run-down rental housing (Seattle PI, January 18, 1989 page B3). However, it was housing, and I think relatively cheap. It is being replaced by commercial space, no housing.

There is a complaint pending; appears that they might have destroyed the Stanley without permits. The developer is wallace properties. I dont know know the details of the development and financing, but below you can see what they plan for this site. Compare the first picture to those farther above (you can see Harborview in far right in these photos); then compare the bottom two photos, which were sort of taken from the same angle. The old one dates from 1914, right after the building was constructed, captured here during regrade work on First Hill. The new building will be much bigger than the Stanley. And glass, not brick.




























RIP stanley apts 1912-2007