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Building History

Seattle architectural firm Josenhans and Allan received the commissions for the two earliest dormitories on the University of Washington (UW) Campus, Lewis and Clark Halls, completed in 1899.

Lewis Hall served originally as the men's dormitory on campus (housing 50), while Clark Hall served the women. They were constructed in 1899, standing as some of the oldest buildings on the UW's second, lakefront campus. The main administration/classroom building, Denny Hall, was the oldest, erected in 1895, and the Regents Building Committee originally directed that these two dorms would harmonize in color with it. According to a Seattle Times article of 06/06/1899. "The brick to be used is to be the common brick assorted, and the same to be painted yellow, so as to correspond in color with the Administration Building."

This same Seattle Times article also listed the six building contractors who submitted bids to build the Girls' and Boys' Dormitories. The average bid for the former was $26,318, and for the latter, $22,850. The low bidders were Hanley & Lohse ($24,613) for the Girls' and J.C.Spurr for the Boys' ($21,228). The budget for the two commissions were tight, and the costs of two types of brick--"common brick assorted" and "pressed brick"--were considered. The article mentioned that "The bids for these two buildings to be construced out of pressed brick so far exceeded the appropriation that all of that character were rejected." (See "Contracts Awarded," Seattle Times, 06/06/1899, p. 8.)

According to Professor Norman Johnston, these two dormitories were located not according to a larger campus plan, but to the views that they took in of Lake Washington and the Cascade Range. It operated as a exhibition building during the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition in 1909.

Building Notes

In 2009, this was one of five buildings occupied by the Foster School of Business on the Seattle campus and in Kirkland, WA.

Alteration

Lewis has been renovated to serve various uses. It was an exhibition building in 1909, a men's dorm, a women's dorm (after WW I), and as the Communications Department Building after 1936.

An article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of 05/1917 noted that the UW would remodel Lewis Hall from a men's dormitory to one used by women: "During the coming summer there will be little repair work or rebuilding done on the campus. Lewis hall, the men's dormitory, will be thoroughly overhauled, redecorated and renovated and used hereafter as a women's dormitory." (See "Building Plans To Be Delayed," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/20/1917, p. 7.)

In 2001, it was used by the School of Business Administration for its administration and graduate students. Lewis Hall was scheduled to be renovated as part of the "Restore the Core" campaign between 2009-2011.

PCAD id: 8553