NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional certification comments, entries, and narrative items on continuation sheets if needed (NPS Form 10-900a). 1. Name of Property historic name Bon Marche Department Store other names/site number Bon Marche Building; Macy’s Building 2. Location street & number 300 Pine Street not for publication city or town Seattle vicinity state WASHINGTON code WA county KING code 033 zip code 98122 3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property X_ meets _ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: national statewide local Applicable National Register Criteria X A B X C D Signature of certifying official/Title Date WASHINGTON SHPO State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria. Signature of commenting official Date Title State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government 4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is: entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register other (explain:) _________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action 1 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Bon Marche Department Store King County, WA Name of Property County and State 5. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) (Check only one box.) (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.) Contributing Noncontributing X private X building(s) 1 0 buildings public - Local district district public - State site site public - Federal structure structure object object 1 0 Total Name of related multiple property listing Number of contributing resources previously (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing) listed in the National Register N/A N/A 6. Function or Use Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.) COMMERCE / department store COMMERCE / department store 7. Description Architectural Classification Materials (Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.) MODERN MOVEMENT foundation: Concrete Art Deco / Modernistic walls: Stone: granite (base) Stone: limestone roof: Built-up other: 2 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Bon Marche Department Store King County, WA Name of Property County and State Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance of the property. Explain contributing and noncontributing resources if necessary. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, setting, size, and significant features.) Summary Paragraph Designed by noted Seattle architect John Graham, Sr., construction of the four-story Bon Marche Department Store (known today as the Macy’s Building) commenced in February 1928 within the heart of Seattle’s downtown retail district. After eighteen months of construction, the department store opened for business in August 1929. When the Bon Marche needed to expand their downtown store, they approached John Graham & Company, an architecture firm led by John Graham, Jr., the son of the original architect. Construction began on the four-story addition in April 1954 and was completed in October 1955. The restrained Art Deco of the original 1929 building and the more modern style of the 1955 addition were appropriate for the two periods of construction and the Modern addition is compatible with the original design, resulting in a handsome downtown building. Alterations to the building’s exterior since the 1955 addition have been minimal and interior renovations have retained key character-defining features, showcasing the building’s design, workmanship, and materials. The building continues to operate as a department store in the city’s shopping district, retaining integrity of location, setting, feeling, and association. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Description Setting Located in the heart of Seattle’s downtown shopping district, the eight-story Bon Marche Department Store occupies over 800,000 square feet and covers an entire city block. The site slopes down slightly from west to east and north to south and is bounded by Third Avenue (west), Fourth Avenue (east), Pine Street (south), and Stewart Street (north). All four elevations of the building serve as primary facades, but loading bays are located on the west facade. The design and construction of the building demonstrate a level of permanence and the store’s prominence within the city. The Bon Marche Department Store stands amidst buildings constructed during different eras in Seattle’s history. Across Third Avenue to the west is a nine-story, concrete, modern-style parking garage (1960) – connected to the Bon Marche Building by a pedestrian sky bridge, also constructed in 1960. The garage was built to provide parking for department store shoppers and the general public. To the east, across Fourth Avenue, are Westlake Center (1989), and indoor, four-story shopping mall and adjacent outdoor plaza; the twelve-story Mayflower Park Hotel (1927); and the twelve-story Times Building (1916). The ten- story Securities Building (1913) is located across Olive Way to the north. A six-story office building (2002) and a two-story commercial building (1920) are located across Pine Street to the south. Nearby National Register of Historic Places listed buildings include the Moore Theatre and Hotel (1907), New Washington Hotel (1908), United Shopping Tower (1929), the Medical Dental Building (1925), and the Times Building (1916). The building retains its exterior character-defining features, massing, and scale and helps anchor the retail district in downtown Seattle. The building has continually operated as a department store since it first opened in 1929, even with ownership changes and the eventual name change from Bon Marche to Macy’s. The building is well maintained and remains a prominent landmark in Seattle. Exterior The eight-story Bon Marche Department Store features a rectangular plan with chamfered corners and measures 250 x 360 feet. The chamfered corners both opened the visual space at the street intersections and provided an excellent location for signage. The 1929 portion of the building reflects the Art Deco style, utilizing predominately geometric and naturalistic motifs. The 1955 addition complements the 1929 building, but is characterized by restrained ornamentation, in keeping with the clean lines of Modernism. 3 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Bon Marche Department Store King County, WA Name of Property County and State WALLS Smooth, rectangular limestone blocks with granite at the base clad the reinforced concrete building. The limestone at the first four stories consists of Baalbek buff Indiana oolithic limestone. For the four-story addition in 1955, the builders utilized limestone from the same quarry, but this limestone has more pink tones than buff. This color difference is evident between the fourth and fifth stories. Specifications for the building dated 1928-1929 indicate that great care was taken by the architect, John Grahm, Sr., in the selection of the material. The limestone chosen was free from defects and uniform in color, texture, and quality. Indiana limestone was chosen for its strength, durability, and sense of permanence. Ornament on the building is restrained and focused mainly on the original first four stories—geometric and naturalistic Art Deco detailed carved in low relief. The building’s original cornice design featured more elaborate carved ornament, also in low relief. A shaped parapet capped the fourth story. Both the cornice and shaped parapet were removed with the addition of the upper four stories, making the transition from the fourth to fifty story a smooth continuation of the facades. At street level, the building features two colors of granite. Large panels of a darker