Hoge Building
Encyclopedia
The Hoge Building is a 17 story building constructed in 1911 by, and named for John D. Hoge, an attorney and real estate investor, on the northwest corner of Second Avenue and Cherry Street in Seattle, Washington
. The building was constructed primarily of tan brick and terra cotta
built over a steel frame in the architectural style of Second Renaissance Revival with elements of Beaux Arts. During its construction, it was briefly the tallest structure in the state of Washington, until the completion of Tacoma's
Key Bank Center
later in 1911, and the tallest in Seattle until 1914 with the completion of Smith Tower
.
, reputedly the first white man's house in what was to become Seattle. The cabin was later replaced by a row of 1 and 2 story shops facing Cherry Street which would all be destroyed by the Great Seattle fire
. John D. Hoge purchased the site soon after the fire and erected a three-story brick building to house his company: Washington Territorial Investment Company, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington National Bank, and several other small businesses. Hoge would form Union Trust & Savings Bank (later renamed Seattle Trust Bank and merged with Seafirst Bank
) in 1903 which would become the ground-floor tenant of his new building.
Hoge commissioned the architectural firm of Charles Bebb
and Louis Mendel to design the building. Construction began in March 1911. The steel frame of the building was constructed at an amazing pace, with all 18 stories completed in 30 days, a feat which broke all records at the time. Reportedly, the building was designed with special concern by the architects for seismic events as a result of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
.
One of the last branches of Dexter Horton Bank was housed in the building in 1991 after being moved from its own building. The ground floor currently contains a branch
of Bank of America
, successor to Seafirst Bank. The building was owned by the Hoge family until being sold in 1986.
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...
. The building was constructed primarily of tan brick and terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
built over a steel frame in the architectural style of Second Renaissance Revival with elements of Beaux Arts. During its construction, it was briefly the tallest structure in the state of Washington, until the completion of Tacoma's
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
Key Bank Center
Key Bank Center
Key Bank Center, formerly the Puget Sound National Bank Building, is a 16 floor high-rise in Tacoma, Washington. When completed as the National Realty Building in 1911, the tower was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River until surpassed by Seattle's Smith Tower in 1914.The tower, with...
later in 1911, and the tallest in Seattle until 1914 with the completion of Smith Tower
Smith Tower
Smith Tower is a skyscraper in Pioneer Square in Seattle, Washington. Completed in 1914, the 38 storey, tower is the oldest skyscraper in the city and was the tallest office building west of the Mississippi River until the Kansas City Power & Light Building was built in 1931...
.
History
The site of the Hoge building, at 705 Second Avenue, was the location of the cabin of Carson BorenCarson Boren
Carson Dobbins Boren , was an early founder of Seattle, Washington . His sister Mary Ann was married to Arthur Denny, and his sister Louisa to David Denny. Boren was the first King County Sheriff...
, reputedly the first white man's house in what was to become Seattle. The cabin was later replaced by a row of 1 and 2 story shops facing Cherry Street which would all be destroyed by the Great Seattle fire
Great Seattle Fire
The Great Seattle Fire was a fire that destroyed the entire central business district of Seattle, Washington, USA, on June 6, 1889.-Early Seattle:In the fall of 1851, the Denny Party arrived at Alki Point in what is now the state of Washington...
. John D. Hoge purchased the site soon after the fire and erected a three-story brick building to house his company: Washington Territorial Investment Company, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington National Bank, and several other small businesses. Hoge would form Union Trust & Savings Bank (later renamed Seattle Trust Bank and merged with Seafirst Bank
Seafirst Bank
Seafirst Corporation was a bank holding company based in Seattle, Washington. Formed on November 11, 1929, from the merger of Seattle's three largest banks, the First National Bank Group, the Dexter Horton National Bank , and Seattle National Bank, the bank was originally named First Seattle Dexter...
) in 1903 which would become the ground-floor tenant of his new building.
Hoge commissioned the architectural firm of Charles Bebb
Charles Bebb
Charles Herbert Bebb was a leading Seattle architect, who participated in two of the city's most important partnerships, Bebb and Mendel from 1901 to 1914, and Bebb and Gould from 1914 to 1939...
and Louis Mendel to design the building. Construction began in March 1911. The steel frame of the building was constructed at an amazing pace, with all 18 stories completed in 30 days, a feat which broke all records at the time. Reportedly, the building was designed with special concern by the architects for seismic events as a result of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
.
One of the last branches of Dexter Horton Bank was housed in the building in 1991 after being moved from its own building. The ground floor currently contains a branch
Branch (banking)
A branch, banking center or financial center is a retail location where a bank, credit union, or other financial institution offers a wide array of face-to-face and automated services to its customers....
of Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, successor to Seafirst Bank. The building was owned by the Hoge family until being sold in 1986.
External links
- Hoge Building Nomination form for The National Register of Historic Places, 1979.