Historic Seattle’s Annual Preservation Celebration is coming up on September 25, 2025. We’ll celebrate the projects and people that help amplify our mission. Today, we feature City of Auburn for Postmark Center For The Arts, the 2025 Community Investment Award recipient.
Congratulations to the City of Auburn!
In the heart of Auburn stands a building, built in 1937, that originally served as the town’s bustling post office. When Auburn’s postal operations moved to a new location in the 1960s, the building’s role shifted from correspondence to care, as King County transformed it into a public health clinic. With each new function, more of the building’s original architectural beauty was hidden beneath dropped ceilings, carpeted floors, and partitioned spaces. Eventually, the building stood vacant, until the City of Auburn purchased it back for a symbolic $1.00.
The building’s transformation into the Postmark Center for the Arts (20 Auburn Ave, Auburn, WA) was not just a renovation. It was an act of rediscovery. As walls came down and old finishes were peeled away, long-forgotten details emerged: a steel superstructure, a ceiling of warm wooden planks, and even the original postmaster’s fireproof vault.
Terrazzo floors were restored. Marble wainscoting was repurposed. Historic windows were repaired. The space was opened up to bring in natural light and accommodate modern functionality.
Since the main galleries reopened in September 2023, the Center has blossomed into a vibrant cultural hub that honors both the city’s past and its diverse present. Each exhibit, gathering, and shared moment within its walls continues the building’s legacy as a place where the community comes together.
Elders return to the building with stories of mailing letters or picking up holiday packages as children. Adults recall check-ups during its health clinic days. Now, new generations gather to explore art, music, poetry, and creative workshops under its restored ceilings. Now, the former post office is a King County Landmark and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
At its core, Auburn’s Postmark Center for the Arts honors both the physical and cultural landscapes it inhabits. Built on the ancestral lands of the Muckleshoot Tribe, the center proudly includes the voices and artistry of the Tribe in its restoration and programming. On opening day, a traditional Muckleshoot welcoming figure, carved from red cedar, was unveiled at the building’s entrance. Nearby, an adjacent alleyway features Coast Salish art and texts created in collaboration with the Muckleshoot cultural director. Together, these elements extend Postmark’s role as more than a gallery or gathering place—it is a living tribute to Auburn’s layered histories, a beacon of inclusion, and a model of community-driven historic preservation.
Kudos to the City of Auburn and the project team for a job well done!
Johnston Architects, American West Construction, Harriott Valentine Engineers, Sider+Byers, RDH Building Science, Legacy Renovation, and JMS Masonry Restoration.
Photo by Will Austin