Montlake Elementary School has anchored its neighborhood since 1914, when it opened on the historic Portage isthmus. where Duwamish people once carried canoes between Lake Union and Lake Washington. The school began as a single portable building serving 25 students. In 1924, it was replaced by a Georgian‑detailed brick school designed as the foundation for a larger campus. Planned north and south wings were never built, leaving Montlake dependent on portable classrooms for decades.
The school faced persistent challenges: steep slopes, one of the smallest parcels in the district, and entrances accessible only by stairs. At times, Seattle Public Schools considered closing it.
In 2013, the Montlake Community Club led a successful effort to landmark the building, highlighting its architectural significance and its role as a neighborhood touchstone. Going forward the building would be protected regardless of district planning.
While the school’s historic character remained intact, its facilities, including six portables, no longer met the needs of students, educators, or families. Seattle Public Schools’ recent renovation and expansion finally fulfills the original 1924 vision by completing the once‑unfinished school.
Working within a tight 1.65‑acre site with 25 feet of grade change, SPS and its project partners undertook a complex effort to expand the campus while preserving the landmarked structure. The historic building was shored on three sides during excavation. Original wood doors, built‑in wardrobes, chalkboards, trim, floors, and windows were carefully restored.
The new addition was intentionally lowered to maintain neighborhood scale and sunlight patterns. It now houses the gym, cafeteria, classrooms, and library—spaces previously located in portables. Atop the gym sits the District’s first rooftop field. After a century of barriers, Montlake is fully ADA‑compliant.
Seattle Public Schools’ stewardship demonstrates how honoring the past can coexist with bold investment in the future.
Project Team: Building Envelope Technology & Research, DLR Group, Hargis Engineers, LPD Engineering, Metrix Engineers, Skanska, The Greenbusch Group
Header image courtesy of Skanska
