The York Hotel Marked for Destruction
A landmark Seattle building is deemed a hazard after Great Northern tunnel work destabilizes its foundation.
The story, cleaned up
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The big brick structure at the northwest corner of First Avenue and Pike Street, known as the York hotel, will have to be torn down as the result of the boring of the Great Northern tunnel. The building was vacated some weeks ago, and an examination by the city engineer confirms the rumor that it is dangerous. Originally known as the Palmer block, the five-story hotel was erected in 1880 by A. L. Palmer and has long been a familiar landmark on upper First Avenue, presenting an imposing appearance from both the street and the waterfront.
“The building was vacated some weeks ago and an examination by the city engineer confirm the rumor that the building is dangerous and will have to be torn down.”
The tension between infrastructure projects and the preservation of historic streetscapes is a perennial conflict in rapidly growing cities like Seattle and Tacoma. Once-proud landmarks often fell victim to the industrial requirements of the early 20th century.
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