The Cadillac Hotel

The Cadillac Hotel was one of the first masonry buildings constructed in Seattle after the Great Fire of 1889.

Client

Historic Seattle

Location

Seattle, Washington

Program

Badly damaged by the Nisqually earthquake in 2001 and initially slated to be razed, the building’s survival was ensured through a four-year effort by many individuals and organizations. Retention of the original architectural fabric and reintegration of existing materials was a cornerstone of the Cadillac’s rehabilitation. SMR’s strategy focused on salvaging, evaluating, and integrating existing and new brick masonry on the reconstructed elevations. Work included rehabilitation of existing windows with double glazing, incorporation of new building mechanical and electrical systems; installation of steel brace frames and wood shear walls for improved seismic performance; and restoration of a two-story interior light court. Today, the building stands as a hallmark of rehabilitation work in the Pioneer Square National Historic District. The ground floor and basement levels currently serve as home to the Seattle Unit of the National Park Service’s Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. The upper floors house offices for the National Park Service in Seattle.

Highlights

Historic Tax Credits Used; 2006 ABC Excellence in Construction Award for Historic Renovation; 2006 National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Preservation Honor Award; 2006 Masonry Institute of Washington’s Excellence in Masonry Design Judge’s Top Honor Award; 2005 International Excellence in Masonry Residential Design and Construction