Structure Type: built works - commercial buildings - office buildings

Designers: Lindsey, Chester, L., and Associates, Architects (firm); Selig, Martin, Real Estate (firm); Wright, Howard S., (HSW) Construction Company (firm); Chester Loren Lindsey (architect); Martin Selig (developer); Howard S. Wright (building contractor/developer)

Dates: constructed 1987-1988

20 stories, total floor area: 497,513 sq. ft.

1730 Minor Avenue
Downtown, Seattle, WA 98101-1498

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The building, designed for developer, Martin Selig of Seattle, WA, stands 279 feet high containing 20 stories; like the 76-story SeaFirst Tower owned by Selig, Metropolitan Park East was designed by Chester L. Lindsey, Architects, and built by the Howard S. Wright Construction Company, both of Seattle; it was owned from 03/21/1996-10/20/2005 by the Benaroya Capital Company LLC, a Seattle real estate firm. By 11/04/2010, Chicago, IL-based Walton Street Capital defaulted on loans secured in 2005 to buy the two towers from the Benaroya Company. Walton bought the "Twin Toasters," as some called the rounded, aluminum-skinned office buildings, for approximately $183 million. In 2010, they had an appraised value of $135 million, less than the $154 million Walton owed to two lenders, LNR Partners and ING Clarion. (In 2010, LNR owned the note on Metropolitan West, ING for Metropolitan East.) Adding to Walton's difficulties were the high vacancy rates for both buildings in 11/2010, 38% for Metropolitan Park West, 20% for Metropolitan Park East. According to an article in the Seattle Times of 11/16/2010, both ING and LNR were working with Walton Street Capital to renegotiate the loans.

According to the Urban Land Institute, the"Metropolitan Park" office building contained 18 stories and contained 360,000 square feet. This was inaccurate for Metropolitan East and West. The former had 20 stories and 364,000 feet, the latter had 18 stories and 336,000 square feet. (See Urban Land Institute, Tall Office Buildings in the United States, [Washington, DC: Urban Land Institute, 1985], p. 76.) It also dated the building as being from 1980, 8 years too early for East, but correct for West. In 2010, Metropolitan East occupied a 42,600-square-foot land parcel. It contained 497,513 gross square feet, 363,727 net in 2010.

Alterations begun on 05/19/2005 transformed office space on the 10th floor for use as a medical office. The remodeling was completed before 07/10/2006 and cost $348,000. Addition of a covered bus stop and alterations to the main floor lobby were permitted on 03/02/2005; this construction, costing $1,217,000, was inspected by King County on 04/29/2005.