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Overview

This large, steel-frame convention hotel stood nearby the Washington Convention Center in Downtown Seattle, WA. Built in 1969-1970, the 25-story facility was built at a time of increasing meeting activities of professional organizations and presaged the nation-wide competition by cities to build profitable convention centers during the 1970s and 1980s. These facilities were seen as ways of increasing state and local tax revenue by imposing hotel room, rental car and sales taxes on visitors, without creating anger among local residents (and voters). This was done during the 1980s, a time of decreasing willingness by residents in many states to pay higher property and income taxes.

Building History

According to a article published in the Seattle Times on 06/07/1969, the construction began on the Seattle Hilton in 06/1968, and had progressed to ten floors by 06/1969. In 06/1969, the hotel was projected to be completed by 10/1970. (See "Freeway Park Alternative to Be Offered," Seattle Times, 06/07/1969, p. 13.) Richard Hedreen was the builder and developer for the Seattle Hilton. The hotel actually opened to the public on 11/28/1970. The Seattle Times described the opening ceremony: “The Seattle Hilton Hotel, Sixth Avenue and University Street, was officially opened for business yesterday in ribbon cutting ceremonies at the entrance to the 27-story building. Mrs. Harry Livingston, whose husband is vice-president of the firm which owns the property on which the hotel was built, snipped a blue ribbon across the hotel’s circular entry. Livingston has operated a parking facility on the property many years. The hotel is the 127th in the Hilton operation.” (See "Seattle Hilton Hotel opened in ceremony," Seattle Times, 11/29/1970, p. F12.)

Building Notes

In 2022, the 256-room Seattle Hilton occupied a 21,593-square-foot (0.50-acre) property. It contained 332,210 gross square feet, 126,240, net. The hotel had a 205,970-square-foot (526-stall) parking garage, which reduced the gross square footage.

Alteration

Hotel-wide renovations occurred in 1997.

First-floor coffee shop changes happened in 04/2018, at the cost of $12,500.

The hotel converted meeting rooms and additional spaces on various floors and remodeled a lounge and ancillary spaces into new rooms on its 29th floor. This cost $10 million.

In 12/2020, the hotel renovated its concourse level corridor below its parking garage at a cost of $80,000.