OpenStreetMap (new tab)

Google Map (new tab)

Google Streetview (new tab)

Building History

Architect John A. Creutzer (1873-1929) designed the Medical Dental Building. A.H. Albertson served as Consulting Architect on the Medical and Dental Building, Seattle, WA. When erected in 1925, the Medical Dental Building was by far the tallest building near the intersection of Olive Way and Westlake Avenue. At this time, many buildings along Westlake Avenue were two and three-story low rise, wood-frame buildings, containing a mix of retail businesses and residential spaces.

On 08/01/2005, Portland, OR-based Harsch Investment Properties sold the Medical Dental Building to Goodman Real Estate (GRE) Properties, for $38,488,750. GRE had had experience purchasing historic buildings and renovating them. The firm also retained respected Seattle historic preservation historian, Mildred Andrews, to write an historic landmark report for the Seattle Landsmarks Board which was successful.

GRE nearly tripled its profit when it sold the 1925 block for $112,848,500 on 09/13/2019 to MDB Landmark LLC.

Building Notes

The skin of the Medical and Dental Building, like so many of the 1900-1920s period, had a cladding of terra cotta tiles.

In 2005, the Seattle Times reported that the Medical Dental Building was about 70% leased and "...and its tenant base is still largely medical and dental practices, some of which date back to the 1930s." (See Tom Boyer, Seattle Times.com, “New owner to restore historic 1925 Medical Dental Building,” published 08/03/2005, accessed 10/10/2020.)

Alteration

According to documents in the Seattle Muncipal Archives, McClelland and Osterman, George Wellington Stoddard, William Henry Fey, Marcus Priteca, John A. Creutzer, all worked on the building between 1923-1959.

Architect William Henry Fey, (1886-1977), supervised additions and alterations to the Medical Dental Building in 1949-1950. At this time about 92,000 new square feet of space was added by the Metropolitan Building Company (MBC) of Seattle. The MBC advertised at the construction site that the new space would be open by about 09/01/1950.

Between 2005 and 2007, Goodman spent approximately $3,231,520 on remodeling work to upgrade basement utilities, and alter spaces on the sixth, tenth, eleventh and sixteenth floors. In 2006, Seattle Structural PS, Incorporated, collaborated on this renovation which included altering " ...two complete floors for Allstar Fitness and lobby upgrades for the entire building. A new roof is planned for the exterior mechanical courtyard, creating a new three-story interior common area for a wintergarden and climbing rock feature." (See Seattle Structural PS, Incorporated.com, "Renovation: Medical Dental Building," accessed 10/10/2020.)

In 2010, a restaurant, likely on the first floor, was changed to retail space, an alteration that cost $230,000. Work totaling about $180,000 on the enlargement of a Verizon Communications store also occurred in 2010. Suite #1653 underwent a $43,860 renovation in 2013. Tenth floor changes at $40,000 occurred in 08/2014. The Cedar Rivers Clinic Space, (Room #1454) had $120,000 work of changes done in 2014, and about $110,000 work was done on the fifth floor later that year.

The architectural firm of Clark | Barnes participated in further renovation activity at the Medical Dental Building. Its web site said of the work: CLARK | BARNES provided design services for the rehabilitation and renovation of the historic Medical Dental Building in Seattle’s Downtown Retail District. Originally constructed in 1925, with a 1950 addition, it was essential to preserve the building’s unique character. The owner wanted to maintain the building as a medical office, but re-position it with a more retail-oriented, consumer focus. The renovation included amenities such as shared tenant areas, the addition of a cafe on the roof of the third floor, and an upgraded lobby with concierge services. Scope included renovation of upper floor lobbies, corridors, bathrooms, parking garage improvements, and new exterior signage." (See Clark | Barnes.com, "Medical Dental Building Project Details," accessed 10/10/2020.)