Résumé

Albert Balch worked as both a realtor and a builder during his career. He was involved in several commercial enterprises simultaneously by the late 1940s.

Executive, View Ridge Company, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

President, Crawford and Conover, Incorporated, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

President / Treasurer, Wedgwood Corporation,, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

President, First Western Company,, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

President, First American Corporation,, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

Secretary / Treasurer, Albert Balch Community Builders, Incorporated, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

President, Colonial Courts, Incorporated, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

Vice President, First Mortgage Company, Seattle, WA, 1948. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

President, Balch and Setzer, Incorporated, Seattle, WA, 1948. All of these entities had the following addresses in 1948: 8050 35th Avenue NE and 1010 2nd Avenue. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1948, p. 79.)

Albert Balch was listed as President of all of these entities, save for the View Ridge Company, in 1951. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1951, p. 78.)

President, Albert Balch, Community Builders, Incorporated, Realtors and Builders, Seattle, WA, c. 1951-1956. Balch was an important developer working most notably in Seattle's northeast neighborhoods of View Ridge and Wedgwood, beginning in the late 1930s. In 1953, Balch's firm operated at 8050 35th Avenue NE in the Wedgwood neighborhood of Seattle. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1951, p. 78.) Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1953, p. 37.)

Balch formed the Balch Land Development Corporation in 1959, investing $100,000 in the venture. By 1964, this company had a net worth of $466,980, an increase of 367%. (See Alice Staples, "Real Estate Planning--Building--Selling," Seattle Times, 03/01/1964, p. 29.)

By 1960, Balch remained President of the following business entities: Albert Balch Community Builders, Incorporated; Balch and Setzer, Incorporated; Colonial Courts, Incorporated; Crawford and Conover, Incorporated; First American Corporation; Balch Land Development Corporation; Balch Shopping Centers, Incorporated; First Investment Company; First Western Company; Garden Park, Incorporated; Wedgwood Corporation; Resident Park Development; Cedar Grove Development Company; Highland Park Development Company; Orchard Park Homes, Incorporated; Wildwood Estates, Incorporated; First Finance Corporation; Wedgwood Realty Company. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1960, p. 81.)

Relocation

Albert and Edith Balch lived at 6850 50th Avenue NE between at least 1951 and 1960. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1951, p. 78 and Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1960, p. 81.)

Spouse

He married Edith A. McGinnis (d. 06/13/1970) on 07/21/1933. Edith worked in Albert's businesses in various capacities. In 1960, for example, Edith was President of the Columbia Investment Company, Incorporated. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1960, p. 81.)

Children

Albert and Edith had three daughters and a son; in 1970, the children were identified as Mrs. H. Warren Leitch, Mrs. Janet Skowromek, who both lived in Seattle, Mrs. Nunnally Johnson of Klamath, OR, and Albert S. Balch, Jr., of Seattle.