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AKA: Stevens Hotel, Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA; Frye Block, Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA
Structure Type: built works - dwellings -public accommodations - hotels
Designers: Nestor, John, Architect (firm); John Nestor (architect)
Dates: constructed 1889-1890
5 stories
Building History
The German-born George Frederick Frye (1833-1912) came to Seattle, WA, in 1853, and married Louisa Denny, daughter of the wealthy early businessman, Arthur Denny and his wife Mary. Frye labored in Henry Yesler's Sawmill, a business critical to the financial success of the early Seattle, and later began the city's first meat market and an early bakery. Frye also got into real estate, building the Frye Opera House (1884), Frye Block/Hotel Stevens and the later Hotel Barker. I
n 1909, Frye commissioned the renowned architectural firm of Bebb and Mendel to design his Frye Hotel (1910-1911), an eleven-story hotel catering to traveling businessmen and well-to-do tourists, for a parcel he owned at Yesler Street and 3rd Avenue.
Between 1903 and 1915, at least, the Hotel Stevens operated in this building, managed by William E. Stevens (born c. 11/1852 in VT). (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1915, p. 860.) His company was known as the "Hotel Stevens Company, Incorporated," in 1907. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle City Directory, 1907, p. 1091.)
Ralph Boyker managed the Hotel Stevens between at least 1930 and 1932. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1930, p. 1856 and Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1932, p. 1348.)
Alteration
An extra story was added to the Hotel Stevens sometime between 1910 and 1930.
A large sign resting on the parapet of the 1st Avenue side of the building spelled out "Hotel Stevens." It was likely removed sometime between 1900 and 1910.
A Hotel Stevens advertisement in the Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1930, (p. 1856), noted that the hotel had been recently "remodeled and refurnished."
Demolished; this building occupied the site on Front Street (later known as 1st Avenue) between Marion Street and Madison Street of George Frye's Opera House, which burned in the Great Seattle Fire of 06/06/1889. The Frye Building, in turn, was torn down (along with architect Elmer Fisher's Burke Building [1889-1891]) prior to the construction of the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building (1971-1974).
PCAD id: 4634
