WALLINGFORD CENTER
Seattle, Washington

Wallingford Center was a pioneering effort for the City of Seattle and the Seattle School District to adaptively re-use the original Interlake Public School - a Seattle Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The three-story, wood-framed structure in the heart of the Wallingford commercial district is a private development converting the 53,000 square foot former elementary school into a mixed-use complex.

The two lower floors were converted into commercial and retail shops and the upper floor into 24 studio and one-bedroom apartments. In addition, the project includes a variety of interior and exterior community-oriented areas.

The project had many special technical constraints resulting from the alteration of the existing building to accommodate all the new uses, and the strict code requirements for exiting, fire, and structural safety. Proposed design changes were carefully considered to insure that any elements which were deleted or added maintained and promoted the historic integrity of the building.

Owner:
Wallingford Limited Partnership

Publications/Awards:
Carlson, Reusing America's Schools, Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1991.
"Neighborhood Designs That Work" Award, Seattle Design Commission, 1990.
Award for Outstanding Merit, Washington Trust For Historic Preservation, 1986.
Design & Construction Excellence Award, Associated General Contractors, 1986.
The Seattle Times, "A New Assignment for an Old Friend", May 19, 1985.