King County Courthouse
Encyclopedia
The King County Courthouse is the administrative building housing the judicial branch of King County
, Washington government. It is located in downtown Seattle
, Washington, just north of Pioneer Square
. The 1916 structure houses courtrooms for King County Superior Court
and Seattle District Court
, Prosecutor, and Sheriff
; King County Work and Education Release, the chambers of the King County Council
, and other court and county functions. It is located just north of City Hall Park
at 516 Third Avenue, between Dilling Way and James Street.
An enclosed skybridge connects the courthouse to the King County Jail, and a pedestrian tunnel connects it to the King County Administration Building.
.
Architect A. Warren Gould proposed a twenty-three story tower to handle anticipated growth in county functions, but the county commissioners preferred a more modest beginning. Starting in 1914, a five-story steel frame and reinforced concrete structure was built, and dedicated May 4, 1916 as the five-story City-County Building. In 1931, six floors were added, and later a three story 'attic'. Modernization efforsts in 1967 added air condition and heavily modified the appearance of the building. In 1987, the King County Courthouse was registered as a King County landmark, which limits the style of future remodeling of public areas to restoring the original appearance.
After the 2001 Nisqually earthquake the Courthouse was seismically retrofitted
. The extensive damage done to older buildings in the area by the 6.8 quake pushed the County to move forward with this project. Upon completion, murals and a treatment of the marble floor on the first floor of the Courthouse were noted decorative touches.
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, Washington government. It is located in downtown Seattle
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...
, Washington, just north of Pioneer Square
Pioneer Square, Seattle, Washington
Pioneer Square is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of Downtown Seattle, Washington, USA. It was once the heart of the city: Seattle's founders settled there in 1852, following a brief six-month settlement at Alki Point on the far side of Elliott Bay. The early structures in the neighborhood...
. The 1916 structure houses courtrooms for King County Superior Court
King County Superior Court
King County Superior Court, the largest trial court in Washington state, is based at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, in downtown Seattle, Washington. It also operates a juvenile facility and a Regional Justice Center in Kent, southeast of Seattle....
and Seattle District Court
Seattle District Court
Seattle District Court is a trial court in Seattle, Washington, based at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, in Downtown. It is one of three divisions of King County District Court. It processes 20,000 cases a year, all misdemeanor, civil, small claims, and the like....
, Prosecutor, and Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
; King County Work and Education Release, the chambers of the King County Council
King County Council
The Metropolitan King County Council, the legislative body of King County, Washington, consists of nine members elected by district. The Council adopts laws, sets policy, and holds final approval over the budget...
, and other court and county functions. It is located just north of City Hall Park
City Hall Park (Seattle)
City Hall Park is a 1.3 ac park located in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, Washington on a block bounded by 3rd Avenue on the southwest, Dilling Way on the southeast, 4th Avenue on the northeast, and the King County Courthouse on the northwest...
at 516 Third Avenue, between Dilling Way and James Street.
An enclosed skybridge connects the courthouse to the King County Jail, and a pedestrian tunnel connects it to the King County Administration Building.
History
In 1911, King County voters first turned down, then approved plans to build a new structure for county government. The site settled on had once been owned by city founder Henry YeslerHenry Yesler
Henry L. Yesler was an entrepreneur considered to be Seattle, Washington's first economic father and first millionaire. He arrived in Seattle in 1852 and built a steam-powered sawmill, which provided numerous jobs for those early settlers and Duwamish tribe members...
.
Architect A. Warren Gould proposed a twenty-three story tower to handle anticipated growth in county functions, but the county commissioners preferred a more modest beginning. Starting in 1914, a five-story steel frame and reinforced concrete structure was built, and dedicated May 4, 1916 as the five-story City-County Building. In 1931, six floors were added, and later a three story 'attic'. Modernization efforsts in 1967 added air condition and heavily modified the appearance of the building. In 1987, the King County Courthouse was registered as a King County landmark, which limits the style of future remodeling of public areas to restoring the original appearance.
After the 2001 Nisqually earthquake the Courthouse was seismically retrofitted
Seismic retrofit
Seismic retrofitting is the modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity, ground motion, or soil failure due to earthquakes. With better understanding of seismic demand on structures and with our recent experiences with large earthquakes near urban centers,...
. The extensive damage done to older buildings in the area by the 6.8 quake pushed the County to move forward with this project. Upon completion, murals and a treatment of the marble floor on the first floor of the Courthouse were noted decorative touches.