Norton Building

For the building in Los Angeles, see Norton Building (Los Angeles).

Norton Building
Location within downtown Seattle
General information
Status	Completed
Type	Office
Location	801 2nd Ave Seattle, Washington, 98104
Coordinates	47.604°N 122.335°W / 47.604; -122.335
Opened	October 30, 1959
Cost	$12 million
Owner	Northwest Building LLC
Technical details
Floor count	17 (excluding 4 story base)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Bindon & Wright, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Seattle Landmark
Designated	April 6, 2009[1]
References
[2][3]

The Norton Building is a post-World War II office building in the International Style, located in Seattle, Washington, United States. Built on a sloping lot with the foundation of a large granite base, the building rises 17 stories above the city.

It is notable as one of the first post-World War II private office buildings in the city and among the first in the country to use pre-stressed concrete construction.[4] Furthermore, its Modernism contrasts with the neighboring Exchange Building which is in the Art Deco style.

The Norton Building was constructed on the site of the Haller Building, which was built in 1889 and was demolished in 1957. The new tower opened on October 30, 1959.[5][6] The Norton Building was designated as a city landmark by the Seattle City Council in 2009.[1]

Tenants

The Norton Building has housed multiple tenants including LMN Architects, the Puget Sound Business Journal,[7] and Pacific Northern Airlines.[8] The building's 17th floor was also home to the member-only Harbor Club, which peaked at 1,000 members in the 1990s and closed on December 31, 2015.[9] The building has sweeping views of the city and Puget Sound region.

References

1. "Seattle City Ordinance 122947". Seattle City Clerk. April 15, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
2. "Emporis building ID 119458". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
3. Krafft, Katheryn; LaFever, Alison. "City of Seattle Landmark Nomination Application" (PDF). Historic Preservation - Department of Neighbourhoods. City of Seattle. Retrieved August 29, 2013.^[permanent dead link‍]
4. Enlow, Clair (April 24, 1997). "Lofty ambitions: Seattle's highrise builders". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
5. DeMay, Daniel (October 30, 2016). "Photos: Seattle's lost buildings". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
6. Dorpat, Paul (October 17, 2019). "In 1959, the glass was more than half-full on the Norton Building". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
7. Stiles, Marc (July 21, 2021). "Norton Building, once Seattle's 'grandest display of modernity,' is for sale for first time". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
8. "Line Marks 29th Year - Pacific Northern Notes Gains in Alaska Air Service" (PDF). The New York Times. April 11, 1960. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
9. Stiles, Marc (August 27, 2015). "End of an era: Seattle's venerable Harbor Club to close after 56 years". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved October 16, 2021.

External links