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Overview

Originally, this 120x134-foot warehouse had 4 stories and cost about $100,000 to erect. Construction was rapid. Building began in 04/1910 and concluded in 11/1910. (See Seattle Times, "Big Buildings of 1910 Cost $10,973,700," 12/25/1910, p. 15.) The Seattle Times of 11/13/1910 stated: "The new John B. Agen building on Western Avenue is finished...." (See "Whole City Active with Construction," Seattle Times, 11/13/1910, p. 14.)

Building History

Originally, this building served as a warehouse for John Agen's Alaska Butter and Cream Company. Prior to buildingthis warehouse, Agen owned Pier #6 on the waterfront (later renumbered to Pier #57). The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (aka the Milwaukee Road) bought this pier in 1911.

Since 1994, the building has been the subject of several ownership transactions. On 12/20/1994, Cornerstone TPI Limited Partners deeded the warehouse to Central Life Assurance Company. Two years later, on 02/11/1996, the Amerus Life Insurance Company deeded it to its Amerus Properties, Incorporated, division. Amerus sold the building on 02/25/1997 for $8,763,000 to 3rd & Spring LLC. On 04/15/2003, 3rd & Spring LLC deeded it to Richard D. Thaler and partners. This entity transferred ownership to the H. Martin Smith Family LLC on 07/27/2005. Two days later, 5153 LLC, 1201 Western Exchange Group LLC and the H. Martin Smith Family LLC deeded the property to an entity called MSI 1201 LLC. In 2016, the King County Assessor appraised the value of land and property at $18,556,500.

In 2016, MSI 1201 LLC owned the Agen Warehouse.

Building Notes

In 1998, the Agen Warehouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, level of significance: Local.

In 2016, the Agen Warehouse occupied a 16,080-square-foot (0.37-acre) lot. It contained 122,356 gross square feet, 96,617 net.

Alteration

Two stories were added to this reinforced concrete building the year after it was completed, in 1911.

A large $5.8 million remodeling of the Agen Warehouse concluded in 07/1986. According to the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: "A new penthouse office space and a roof deck area. All of the office spaces and the roof deck area were designed to capitalize on one of the building's greatest resources, the panoramic views of Puget Sound. The penthouse, set back from exterior faces in compliance with the new view corridor ordinance, was constructed with light gauge metal framing and finished on the exterior with painted Portland cement stucco. The modulation of the penthouse facade mimics rhythm of pilasters at the east, south and west elevations. New aluminum window frames match the mullion spacing of the wood windows in the brick facades." (See Edson Beall, National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: 1201 Western Avenue," 01/23/1998, p. 4) Since 1986, the warehouse possessed seven floors with the addition of this 1986 penthouse.