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Seattle City Council approves landmark ordinance of the Ainsworth & Dunn building

Seattle City Council approved the landmark designation ordinance for the Ainsworth & Dunn building. This building joins the more than 400 landmarks in the city that contribute to the cultural and architectural heritage of Seattle’s communities.  

The City’s Landmarks Preservation Board approved the nominations, designations, and controls and incentives for this landmark, and Seattle Department of Neighborhoods staff provided the draft ordinances to the Seattle City Council. The final step in the process was approval by Seattle City Council.

As a designated City landmark, the Ainsworth and Dunn building is not only recognized for its historic and cultural significance, but it is also eligible for economic incentives and technical assistance that can help contribute to the continued preservation of the landmark.

More about the Ainsworth & Dunn building

Designation: August 20, 2014
Standards: C, D & F
Controlled features: The exterior of the building, the exposed interior heavy timber structural system on the first floor, and the portion of the site adjacent to the west side of the building.
Date Built: 1902
Architect: Stephen Alston Jennings

The building was originally constructed by the Seattle salmon-packing firm Ainsworth & Dunn for use as a warehouse to operate in tandem with the newly-built Pier 14 (now Pier 70) directly across the way on the waterfront. It is a masonry and heavy timber building measuring 112 by 120 feet, with two stories and a basement. The north, east, and west elevations feature original windows and doors with segmental arch headers on both stories. The roof is flat with a high, slightly projecting parapet featuring a corbelled top and corbelling at the roof line. Masonry is red brick with sandstone windowsills and sandstone coping along the top of the parapet. Nearly all the original windows on the north, east, and west elevations appear to retain their original sash.


Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program is responsible for the designation and protection of more than 400 historic structures, sites, objects, and vessels, along with eight historic districts. For information on the landmark designation process and to view other landmarks, visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation.