Cadillac Hotel Rehabilitation Updates
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening
September 2005
Historic Seattle is proud to announce the completed rehabilitation of the Cadillac Hotel building. They said it couldn't be done, but we did it anyway! Once the "poster child" for the Nisqually earthquake, Historic Seattle has transformed a pile of brick rubble into the new star of Pioneer Square. The arduous process of bringing this building back to life has taken four years and $10.6 million.
The 1889 Cadillac Hotel, one of the oldest buildings in Pioneer Square, was severely damaged by the February 28, 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Plans for its demolition were considered until negotiations between Historic Seattle and Goodman Financial Services began in September, 2001. Historic Seattle then assembled a team of architects, engineers, and developers to consider the feasibility of the project. In 2002, Historic Seattle agreed to purchase the building from Goodman.
Historic Seattle engaged Stickney Murphy Romine Architects of Seattle, and Rutherford and Chekene structural engineers from the California Bay Area, for the restoration. RAFN Construction provided the rebuilding effort. Historic Seattle was fortunate to have such an experienced development team because the building required innovative project financing, along with seismic bracing and masonry repair, as well as interior rehabilitation. Historic Seattle also acquired a new a new tenant to help enliven this edge of Pioneer Square, the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Museum and National Park Service Regional Headquarters.
Find out more about the Cadillac's history (download pdf brochure )
Restored Cadillac sign ca. 1950's.
Mayor Greg Nickels officially opens the Cadillac Hotel.
Mayor Nickels lighting the sign.
Mayor Nickels lighting the sign.
Mayor Nickels lighting the sign.
Andrew Phillips, SMR Architects, Bryan Zagers and Tim Grant, CPL Structural Engineers, and Todd Miller, Rafn Company
Jim Coffelt, General Services Administration, and John Chaney
Jim Coffelt and Susan Reinhart, LaBonde Land Company
Angie McCarrel, Impact Capital, Kathy Pittis, KeyBank, and Roberta Schur, Impact Capital
Mark Blatter, HSPDA staff, Tory Laughlin Taylor, A F Evans Company, and Don Brewer, KeyBank
Mark Flynn, Impact Capital, and Robert Williams, KeyBank
Scott Jones, Rafn Company Superintendent, guest and Terry Lundeen, CPL Engineers
Rory Westburg, National Park Service Deputy Regional Director, and Kevin Daniels, HSPDA Council
Mark Blatter, and Jan McKee, Key Community Development Corporation
Members of Historic Seattle Council and staff with Mayor Greg Nickels
Terry Lundeen, CPL Engineers, David Wymore, Klondike Gold Rush NHP, and Jerry Stickney, Doug Ito, and Andrew Phillips of SMR Architects
Ron Murphy, SMR Architects, and MIchael Trower, Catapult Community Developers
Pamela Zytnicki, and Marie Strong of the Historic Preservation Foundation
Sean O'Meara, Debbie Conway, Superintendent, and David Wymore - Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park staff
Guests at Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening, September 2005
September 2005
Cadillac Hotel, September 2005
First floor exhibit area and dock stair
Orignal storefront on Jackson Street
Dock stair to the lower exhibit area
First floor auditorium
First floor exhibit area looking towards Second Avenue
Exibit areas viewed towards Jackson Street and historic storefronts
Historic hotel staircase
Second floor light court with third floor and skylight above
New offices
Detail of drop ceiling held back from historic windows
Elevator door within historic hallway arch
Former hotel room converted to office space
Restored third floor light court
Restored third floor light court
New skylight in historic opening
Exterior masonry detail
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
Cadillac Hotel Grand Opening Party, September 2005
October 2004
New concrete block exterior walls are constructed. 2nd and Jackson
St walls are re-pointed (old loose mortar removed and replaced
with new mortar, also called tuck-pointing.) Rebuilding the face
of the exterior walls began with salvaged brick. Shop work on restoring
windows begins. Brace frame erection is completed, with work continuing
on the welded and bolted connections to the exterior walls. Shoring
the first and second floors is completed and beams placed for the
major jacking operation, which occurred Oct 29. The lift went smoothly
and quickly, eliminating much of the sag in both upper floors (5
inches at the area of maximum lift.)
Mason re-pointing exterior brick detail
Rebuilding and re-pointing 2nd floor walls
Re-pointing pilaster detail
Jacking towers and beam in place for raising the
2nd floor
Jack beam extending through stair framing prior
to lift
Erecting jacking towers. Large timbers are used
to shore the floor structure after it is raised
September 2004
Scaffolds are enclosed by plastic sheeting to provide a weathertight
cover for masonry work, which will continue for several months.
Rebuilding the masonry walls begins with concrete blocks forming
the new structure where the original walls collapsed. Additional
areas of loose bricks are discovered requiring a revised plan for
rebuilding. At the basement, the final brace frame footings are
poured. Block-outs are placed for the new plumbing, and lightweight
concrete fill is placed as a sub-floor. The floor of the elevator
pit and new stair footings are also poured. Shoring of the first
floor begins to support later jacking to level the floors and install
new structural beams and columns. Repairs of original framing to
remain on the basement and first floor begin, and openings created
in the floor framing for the brace frames. The first structural
steel members of the brace frame are delivered and installed using
drilled and epoxy-grouted anchor bolts.
View from King Street office building, SE corner
of 2nd and Jackson
New first floor framing
Looking up through the elevator hoistway
The original stair to the 2nd floor. Slope (exaggerated
in this view, but not by much) will hopefully be reduced when the
2nd floor is jacked up.
Section of brick wall before rebuilding.
August 19, 2004
Pioneer Masonry mobilizes and begins removal of loose bricks from
the damaged walls. Interior demolition is completed on the upper
floors.
View from King Street office building, SE corner
of 2nd and Jackson
Salvaging old brick for use in rebuilding the
walls
First floor framing exposed after demolition of
interior partition walls and finishes
Third floor stripped of old finishes
Wallpaper from different periods will be sampled
and preserved
August 13, 2004
Scaffold erection begins on 2nd Ave and Jackson St for masonry
wall reconstruction. Shoring and support for roof joists is installed
in preparation for removal of loose bricks. In the basement, concrete
for the first new footing is poured. Work continues on the other
footings and "rubble-izing" the old and failing concrete floor
to fill the voids below and form a stable base for the new concrete
floor to go in on top.
View from King Street office building, SE corner
of 2nd and Jackson
Scaffold set up on 2nd Ave for masonry work.
August 10, 2004
The building containment frame continues to come down. Anchor
bolts for the brace frame footings continue. The first major unexpected
condition appears - the original foundation is much deeper on 2nd
Ave wall than Jackson St where a sample test pit was dug. The deeper
foundation will require a corresponding deeper brace frame foundation
and added anchors. Also, failure of the old concrete floor is discovered,
calling for a change in plans for the new structural floor. Reinforcing
steel bars are installed in the shallow brace frame footings in
preparation for the first concrete pour.
View from King Street office building, SE corner
of 2nd and Jackson
Removal of exterior containment frame along S
Jackson St. elevation
August 4, 2004
Demolition and salvage of the interior finishes continued, along
with removal of the exterior steel framework erected after the
Nisqually Earthquake in 2001 to contain the building and prevent
further collapse. In the basement, sections of the floor are cut
and removed for brace frame foundations, drilled anchors are placed
to tie the brace frame footings to the building foundation, and
the elevator pit is excavated.
View from King Street office building, SE corner
of 2nd and Jackson
Removing concrete rubble from basement excavation
by conveyor
Excavating for the elevator pit
Readying to pour concrete for brace frame foundation
along Jackson St.
July 29, 2004
Construction began July 14. General contractor the Rafn Company
set up shop at the project site and began demolition and removal
of old materials and waste. Salvage of historic doors, frames and
millwork began, and window sash was removed for restoration at
the subcontractor's shop. Some temporary shoring was installed
to support weak areas of the 2nd and 3rd floors and the areaway
under the sidewalk. Excavation of the basement floor for foundations
for new brace frames began; the blue truck carries a large vacuum
to remove the soil from the excavation. The noise from the truck
got us in a bit of trouble with our neighbors and the City.
View from King Street office building, SE corner
of 2nd and Jackson
Close-up of upper 2nd Ave facade showing missing
masonry wall area.