This is the fifth of an eight-part series on our blog, highlighting Historic Seattle’s 2015 Preservation Award recipients. The awards were presented at our 7th Annual Preservation Awards Ceremony on May 12, 2015, at the Good Shepherd Center.

Preserving Neighborhood Character Award

Anhalt Apartment Building Project
1600 East John Street

The Preserving Neighborhood Character Award went to the Anhalt Apartment Building project for preserving and converting the historic apartment building, and transforming the adjacent site with modern infill.

When Anhalt Apartment, LLC purchased this corner property at East John Street and 16^th Avenue East, they acquired a piece of Capitol Hill history. The 1931 three-story brick Tudor apartment building was developed by prolific designer/builder Frederick William Anhalt. Group Health acquired the building in 1968, gutted the interior and converted it to offices. After sitting vacant since 2008, the historic gem was purchased in 2012 by its new owners.

Stephen Day Architects was brought on to get the property listed on the National Register of Historic Places and assist with the federal rehabilitation tax credit process. BOLA Architecture + Planning prepared a landmark nomination, which resulted in local designation and guided the protection of significant features, such as the clinker brick, stucco and half-timbering, conical spire, and interior circular stair towers.

PUBLIC47 Architects reimagined the Anhalt building interior and designed a new modern infill addition on the northern third of the property. The historic building was reconfigured into a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. The infill, which houses 15 apartment units, takes cues from its historic neighbor including material choices, scale and massing. A narrow courtyard defines the open space between the two structures. Collaborating with the Preservation Green Lab (National Trust for Historic Preservation) and Seattle Department of Planning and Development, the project was used as an Energy Code Demonstration Project to encourage the re-use and retrofit of existing buildings.

Supporting Partners: Anhalt Apartment, LLC; Trinity Real Estate; PUBLIC47 Architects; BOLA Architecture + Planning; Stephen Day Architects; Shilshole Construction; Jergens Construction; DCI Engineers; Weisman Design Group; WSP Flack & Kurtz; RDH.

Photos: top left photo by Eugenia Woo; historic photo courtesy of MOHAI