Blackstone Apartments
Encyclopedia
The Blackstone Apartments are located at 222 Summit Ave East in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington
, USA. The apartment complex was designed and owned by J.S. Long and built by the Long Building Company in 1927. The Long Building Company was known for designing and building many of the Bungalow
-style homes, particularly in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA under the guidance Stanley Long. The building consists of 26 units with a mixture 2, 3, 4 and 6 room suites; it has a brick exterior with a great deal of mahogany woodwork in the interiors, built-ins throughout the units, and was originally built with Monarch electric stove
s and Frigidaire
s. The complex was “regarded as one of the most modern units of its kind in the city” when it was completed.
in Seattle. The Blackstone Apartments are one of the few pre-World War II
complexes remaining in Capitol Hill; the post-WWII apartments differed greatly in this area. These newer complexes looked consistent, but with their large windows and courtyards, privacy was lost; they no longer reflected the luxurious apartments which Capitol Hill had once been known for. The Blackstone however, which too had large windows, raised the first floor up so that passersby could not look into the private domesticity intended to occur inside the units.
, seen in the popular residential bungalow designs on the early 20th century, was beginning to decline. Design now turned to an eclectic-historic combination, particularly of the Classical Revival and English Revival styles. The Blackstone particularly reflects this turn, combining Classical design elements with modern technology.
(folk culture) or as elite
architecture (designed by an architect), but rather something in the middle. To contribute to the confusion of identification, most commercial, industrial, and residential buildings in Seattle at this time were not designed by architects, but rather by builders. Because of this, these buildings are often considered to be the best representations of a new kind of architecture in Seattle: popular - vernacular - high-style. The Blackstone Apartments, a residential building, designed by a builder, and built for the middle to upper class, is a great example of this popular – vernacular – high-style architecture of the pre-WWII era in Seattle.
, some people believed that real estate would be a safer way to invest their money and many people began to purchase apartment complexes; real estate saw a peak this year in prices, before falling as the Great Depression
took hold of the country. These investments were particularly popular the weeks preceding the crash in Seattle; only a few weeks after the crash, the Blackstone Apartments became “the largest deal of the kind,” selling for $140,000 to John J. Freeley for Mrs. Ada Parfitt. The next closest apartment sale in the Seattle area was for the Rosemont Apartments for $56,000.
style bungalows, some of which were featured in The Craftsman
magazine. The Sears Catalog Home
"The Ashmore,
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, USA. The apartment complex was designed and owned by J.S. Long and built by the Long Building Company in 1927. The Long Building Company was known for designing and building many of the Bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
-style homes, particularly in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA under the guidance Stanley Long. The building consists of 26 units with a mixture 2, 3, 4 and 6 room suites; it has a brick exterior with a great deal of mahogany woodwork in the interiors, built-ins throughout the units, and was originally built with Monarch electric stove
Electric stove
An electric stove converts electricity into heat to cook and bake.- History :On September 20, 1859, George B. Simpson was awarded US patent #25532 for an 'electro-heater' surface heated by an platinum-wire coil powered by batteries; in his words, useful to "warm rooms, boil water, cook...
s and Frigidaire
Frigidaire
Frigidaire is a brand of consumer and commercial appliances. Frigidaire was founded as the Guardian Frigerator Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and developed the first self-contained refrigerator in 1916. In 1918, William C...
s. The complex was “regarded as one of the most modern units of its kind in the city” when it was completed.
The Area
In the early 20th century, Capitol Hill was one of the wealthier areas of Seattle, and has since transformed into a hip, urban area for young professionals; it is known as the gay villageGay village
A gay village is an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries where a large number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people live or frequent...
in Seattle. The Blackstone Apartments are one of the few pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
complexes remaining in Capitol Hill; the post-WWII apartments differed greatly in this area. These newer complexes looked consistent, but with their large windows and courtyards, privacy was lost; they no longer reflected the luxurious apartments which Capitol Hill had once been known for. The Blackstone however, which too had large windows, raised the first floor up so that passersby could not look into the private domesticity intended to occur inside the units.
1920s Seattle Architecture
The 1920s in Seattle saw a change in the style of popular architecture. Inspired by the newness of the country, Seattle expressed freedom in their architectural expression. By this time people’s interest in the Arts and Crafts MovementArts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
, seen in the popular residential bungalow designs on the early 20th century, was beginning to decline. Design now turned to an eclectic-historic combination, particularly of the Classical Revival and English Revival styles. The Blackstone particularly reflects this turn, combining Classical design elements with modern technology.
The Vernacular
The early 20th century became a difficult time to identify architecture; no longer could a building be designated as vernacular architectureVernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
(folk culture) or as elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
architecture (designed by an architect), but rather something in the middle. To contribute to the confusion of identification, most commercial, industrial, and residential buildings in Seattle at this time were not designed by architects, but rather by builders. Because of this, these buildings are often considered to be the best representations of a new kind of architecture in Seattle: popular - vernacular - high-style. The Blackstone Apartments, a residential building, designed by a builder, and built for the middle to upper class, is a great example of this popular – vernacular – high-style architecture of the pre-WWII era in Seattle.
Stock Market Crash
Immediately after the Wall Street Crash of 1929Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 , also known as the Great Crash, and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, taking into consideration the full extent and duration of its fallout...
, some people believed that real estate would be a safer way to invest their money and many people began to purchase apartment complexes; real estate saw a peak this year in prices, before falling as the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
took hold of the country. These investments were particularly popular the weeks preceding the crash in Seattle; only a few weeks after the crash, the Blackstone Apartments became “the largest deal of the kind,” selling for $140,000 to John J. Freeley for Mrs. Ada Parfitt. The next closest apartment sale in the Seattle area was for the Rosemont Apartments for $56,000.
Architect/Owner
Not much is known about architect J.S. Long. He was a designer for the Long Building Company, particularly of their Arts and Crafts MovementArts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
style bungalows, some of which were featured in The Craftsman
The Craftsman
The Craftsman was a magazine founded by Gustav Stickley in 1901 which carried house designs that created the American Craftsman architectural style....
magazine. The Sears Catalog Home
Sears Catalog Home
Sears Catalog Homes were ready-to-assemble kit houses sold through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Company, an American retailer. Over 70,000 of these were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940. Shipped via railroad boxcars, these kits included all the materials needed to build a house...
"The Ashmore,