Seattle Rebuilds: Schwabacher Block, Arlington Hotel Lead Construction Surge

Quite an impetus has been given to building operations during the past week in the announcement that several large blocks would be begun immediately. Important among these are the new Schwabacher block and the extension of the Arlington hotel.

Plans have been prepared by Architect Emil de Neuf for the Schwabacher building, which will be erected on the site occupied by that firm before the fire, which is 'L' shaped around the southwest corner of Commercial street and Yesler avenue. It is 94 feet on Commercial street by 111 feet in depth and 44 feet on Yesler avenue by 56 feet in depth. The block will be rebuilt in its original form, differing only from the old in that there will be two stores, one facing on Commercial street and the other on Yesler avenue. Both stores will have fireproof vaults and elevators, besides all other modern improvements. The larger (Commercial street) store will be occupied by Schwabacher Bros. & Co.'s hardware department. The first floor will contain sample rooms and offices and will have a gallery around three sides connecting with elevators. The Yesler avenue front will be restored in its original form, but the other front will be a new one, being built of buff pressed brick of local manufacture, and having white stone trimmings. Bids for its construction will be advertised for this week, and until then the cost of the building cannot be determined.

Architect John Parkinson is preparing plans for a block adjoining the Arlington hotel, the upper stories of which will become a part of the hotel. Mr. Parkinson is now building on 90x110 feet in the same block, on the corner of Seneca street, and the new plans are for Denton & Dobson, owning the property between that and the hotel. The hotel is to be extended through both of these new buildings, which will be seven stories in height, making the hotel contain 300 rooms and the largest assembly room on this Coast outside of San Francisco.

The competition among architects for the plans of the West Seattle schoolhouse resulted in favor of Architect A. L. Haley. The building is to be of brick, to contain eight school rooms, each 28x30 feet, teachers' retiring rooms, separate wardrobes for boys and girls, principal's rooms and an auditorium 40x70 feet in the roof. There will be a circular tower starting from the basement and extending 100 feet high. The school will cost $25,000.

A contract has been let by the Sisters of Charity to James Park for the construction of two additions to Providence hospital. The Madison street wing will be 40x33 feet in size and the Spring street wing 22x38 feet. Both will be three stories in height and conform to the design of the present building. The new parts of the hospital will contain private rooms, cells for patients having delirium tremens, also an operating room for ladies. The building will be of wood and will cost $12,000.

Architects Corner are working on plans for the structure to be put up in Pioneer place for the Great Northern celebration. It will be sixty feet square with an eight-foot balustrade running clear around it. It will be put up to exhibit the products of this vicinity, showing coal, shingles, pottery, shakes, etc.

The second and third stories of the new Yesler building are being lathed. The upper stories will remain as they are until some arrangement of the estate is made.

Work has begun on the Prosch building on Ninth street, between Cherry and James streets.

The Jesuit parochial school building to be built on Broadway near Madison will be begun soon. It will be of brick and stone.

During last week thirty building permits were issued, amounting to $153,810. The most important were:

To F. E. Smith for a two-story frame dwelling, 36x32x30, on the corner of Judge and Laura streets, to cost $1,500.

To New England Northwestern Investment Company for a two-and-a-half-story frame dwelling on Fifteenth street, between Frederick and Atlantic streets, to cost $3,800.

To the Sisters of Charity for additions to Providence hospital mentioned above.

To J. C. Hedward for two warehouses, one 100x40 and the other 130x40, each two stories in height, on Baker's wharf, to cost $1,800.

To the Union Trust Company for a two-story frame dwelling, 54x33x30, on Nineteenth avenue, between Boylston and Willow streets, to cost $3,000.

To Stewart & Wark for a two-and-a-half-story frame dwelling, 38x41x30, on Brooks street, near Depot, to cost $4,000.

To F. L. Leslie for a two-story frame dwelling, 40x40x30, corner of May and Broadway, to cost $5,000.