AKA: Kline Building, Downtown, Seattle, WA

Structure Type: built works - commercial buildings - office buildings; built works - commercial buildings - stores

Designers: [unspecified]

Dates: constructed 1889

2 stories

625 1st Avenue
Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA 98104

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Seattle architect Elmer Fisher (1844-1905) produced the plan for this commercial building on the southwest corner of 2nd Avenue and Washington Street. He designed it for Lazarus Kline, a businessman who resided in San Francisco, CA, and owned a clothing store and other real estate in Seattle. Following the Seattle Fire of 06/06/1889, Kline either singly or with partners had started at least three buildings in central Seattle. This building, sometimes referred to as simply the "Kline Building," had only two stories erected. According to a HistoryLink.org article done on Caroline Rosenberg Kline Galland (1841-1907), the wife of clothier Lazarus Kline, owner of this Kline Block in 1890, the building became the subject of a bitter lawsuit: "In 1909, the Washington State Supreme Court affirmed a decision by the King County Court dismissing a lawsuit by an heir of Galland's first husband, Lazarus Kline, who had moved to Seattle from Oregon in 1887. The suit was over a building owned by Kline and located at 2nd Avenue and University Street in downtown Seattle. Kline had bequeathed the building to three brothers in Germany, one in Seattle, and a brother-in-law. Caroline had secured an order in probate court that her husband's building was community property. She was awarded her half and the other half was assigned to the beneficiaries. She purchased the interest of the beneficiaries from them but after the death of one, another brought suit. The suit was dismissed on the grounds that it was brought too late." (See "Galland, Caroline Rosenberg Kline (1841-1907),"Accessed 12-13-2012.)

Demolished.

PCAD id: 17141