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Building History

An article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of 1947 reported: "City Councilman Frank J. Laube yesterday asked Corporation Counsel A.C. Van Soelen to draft an ordinance officially nameing the new approach to the University of Washington campus, "Campus Parkway." Laube, who is chairman of the city council streets and sewers committee, said he made the recommendation of the University board of regents, University administration and University Commercial Club, who selected the name Wednesday night. He will introduce the ordinance at next Monday's meeting of the council. The new approach will connect Roosevelt Way with the campus between E. 40th and E. 41st Sts." (See "Councilman Asks Campus Parkway Approach Name," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/23/1947, p. 15.)

The creation of Campus Parkway coincided with a street-widening project for 15th Avenue NE in 1947. Carl Cooper, reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, said in its issue of 05/24/1947: "Early consummation of an important addition to Seattle's urban highway system was forecast yesterday when preparation were made at city hall to award a contract for the 15th Ave. N.E., improvement. City Engineer Charles L. Wartelle announced that publication of a call for bids will start next week and that a contract will be awarded by the board of public works by the middle of next month. The city council, in ordering the improvement recently, appropriated $75,000 from the city street fund (gasoline tax money) to finance the project. Long urgedd by University District civic groups, the project calls for widening of 15th Ave. N.E. from the Universtiy Campus at E. 45th St. to the Cowen Park Bridge. 'This will provide space for four lanes of traffic,' Wartelle said. "No condemnation of property is required because the roadway widening will be accomplished by setting back curbs on the parking strips. The project will open up a virtually new route for North End traffic to and from the University grounds, relieving the congestion on parallel routes, Wartelle pointed out. But more important, it will provide a major link in a new cross-town highway of which the new University approach, officially named Campus Parkway, will be a part, Wartelle said. Using this route, traffic will have a wide, improved highway clear to the north city limits and beyond, Wartelle stressed." (See Carl L. Cooper, "15th N.E. Widening Due Soon," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/24/1947, p. 9.)

The Seattle City Council officially named the street "Campus Parkway" on 05/27/1947. (See "'Campus Parkway' New Street Name," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/28/1947, p. 12.)

The actual work of completing Campus Parkway's four lanes of traffic and median strip needed to wait until 1950. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer said in 05/1949: "The long-dreamed of Campus Parkway, providng an attractive new approach to the University of Washington, is well on its way to becoming a reality. C.G. Will, assistant city engineer, Monday estimated that surface work will be completed by August or September. Still remaining will be construction of an underpass to take westbound traffic under Roosevelt Way without necessity for crossing the heavily traveled street. The underpass should be ready to carry traffic by the end of the year, Will said. All buildings have been cleared from the strip between E. 40th and E. 41st Sts., which will be the new Campus Parkway, and most of the 'rough grading' has been completed, Will said. When it is finished, the parkway will run from Roosevelt Way down the new street between E. 40th and E. 41st Sts. to the west entrance of the campus at 15th Ave. N.E. There will be two 34-foot roadways fo automobiles, divided by a 50-foot landscaped strip. At each side will be a 22-foot space for parking strips and sidewalks. Cost of the project, including property condemnations paid for by the state, is in the neighborhood of $850,000." (See "Work on Surface of Campus Parkway Planned This Summer," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/24/1949, p. 9.) Planning for the Roosevelt Way underpass was nearly completed by 09/1949. (See Carl L. Cooper, "U. Parkway To Be Speeded," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 09/05/1949, p. 13.)

During this process of making the approach to the underpass, several houses on the north side of Campus Parkway were condemned and demolished to enable the roadway to be widened. (See "Campus Parkway Nearly Complete," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 09/25/1949, p. CX3.) The boulevard was estimated to cost $845,000, of which $545,000 was to be contributed by the State and $300,000 from the City of Seattle. The State Legislature okayed the expenditure in 1947.

Completion of the parkway was not without its critics. Some wrote letters to the editor complaining of the project's $845,000 cost and the idea that the street would dead-end into 15th Avenue N.E. without ever reaching the campus proper. (See "Voice of the People," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/04/1949, p. 10.) City officials replied that the purpose of the new artery was to ease traffic flows north and south, not as a feeder street to the UW. (See "U. Parkway's Use Detailed," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/06/1949, p. 10.)

The University reassured concerned citizens that the new parkway would not enter the campus proper east of 15th Avenue NE. A new auditorium was planned to replace Meany Hall #1 by UW campus planners by 1947. This replacement of Meany Hall, would block any progress of an extended parkway into the heart of the campus, the article stated. (See "Parkway Won't Enter Campus," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 09/28/1949, Second Section, p. 17.) The replacement of Meany Hall was said to be at least five years before ground is broken. The UW did not actually complete the replacement, Meany Hall #2, until 1974.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Roosevelt Way underpass and Campus Parkway occurred on Monday, 06/19/1950. (See "New Underpass Opens Monday," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 06/16/1950, p. 8.)

The University first disclosed plans to build two Modern high-rise dormitories. Lander Hall #2 and Terry Hall #2, on the new Campus Parkway in 01/1951. The new dorms would cost $2.25 million and house 600 male students, who were up to this time housed in temporary wood-frame housing. (See "Proposed University Housing," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 01/04/1951, p. 6.)

PCAD id: 24345