King Street Station is a train station in Seattle, Washington. Located between S. King and S. Jackson Streets and 2nd and 4th Avenues S. in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, the station is just south of downtown. King Street station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The station is served by Amtrak Cascades, Empire Builder, and Coast Starlight lines and by Sound Transit's Sounder commuter trains. In 2008, Amtrak ridership totaled 774,421 boardings. For the first 9 months of 2006, Sounder service boarded almost 1.2 million passengers at King Street Station.
History
Built between 1904 and 1906 by the Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway, the station replaced an antiquated station on Railroad Avenue, today's Alaskan Way. Designed by the firm of Reed and Stem of St. Paul, Minnesota, who acted as associate architects for the design of Grand Central Terminal in New York City, the station was part of a larger project that moved the mainline away from the waterfront and into a 5,245 foot (1,590 m) tunnel under downtown. The depot's 242 foot tower was modeled after Campanile di San Marco in Venice, Italy, making it the tallest building in Seattle at the time of its construction. This tower contained four huge mechanical clock faces offering the time to each of the four cardinal directions. Later, this tower also served as a microwave tower for the Burlington Northern Railroad, the successor of both the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads, which occupied the second and third floors of the station, now deserted.
Over the years, remodeling has concealed the station's original interior. The ornate ceiling of the main waiting room, and a balcony and second level arcade were hidden by a lower dropped ceiling. The waiting room was walled off and marble was removed from columns. A grand staircase linking South Jackson Street with the west entrance was reduced to half its original size, and an addition was constructed on the west elevation of the building that was not in keeping with the building's architecture.
From a practical standpoint, the station is close to downtown. However, unlike cities such as Boston, it is not near the intercity bus terminal. What appears to be an upper entrance is not used. The main entrance on the first floor is at a dead-end road, rather than providing a loop.
Restoration
Plans are underway to restore the entire building to its former prominence. Cosmetic renovations began in 2003. As part of these renovations the Compass Room and restrooms were refurbished, and the exterior awnings were replaced. New mahogany entry doors and wood framed windows were installed in the waiting room and Compass Room. New brass door hardware and reproduction period light fixtures and plaster decorative work were included to reproduce the former character of the station's interior.
In November 2006, the office of Seattle mayor Greg Nickels announced a preliminary agreement between the City of Seattle and BNSF Railway to purchase the station for $1. The Seattle City Council formalized the agreement by passing legislation in December 2006. The deal, revised to $10, was signed on March 5, 2008. The purchase by the city freed up US$19 million of state and federal funds that can be used for further restoration of the station. The city has earmarked a further US$10 million for the restoration as part of a recently passed local transportation levy.
In 2008, the clocks in the clock tower were repaired, and the old microwave antennas were removed. Repair work to the exterior continues as of May 2009.
Architecture
King Street Station is a red brick masonry building with terra cotta and cast stone ornamentation. The building is L-shaped with the clock tower marking the main entry on the west facade. The clock tower and main entry terminate the axis of King Street in Pioneer Square.
Inside the main entry, at the base of the clock tower, is the entry hall, known as the Compass Room. The name references the navigational star compass rose design laid out in hand-cut marble tiles on the floor at its center. The Compass Room has marble wainscotting, and is lighted by a multi-globe chandelier suspended above the compass rose from an elaborate plaster rosette. Triple globe wall sconces around the perimeter illuminate a band of inlaid green iridescent glass tile on the walls. Circular clerestory windows are trimmed in plaster relief decoration.
Passenger Service
Currently King St. Station has 21 daily train departures:
- 9 Sounder trains south to Tacoma (weekdays only)
- 4 Sounder trains north to Everett (weekdays only)
- 2 Cascades trains north to Vancouver, BC
- 2 Cascades trains south to Portland
- 2 Cascades trains south to Eugene (also serving Portland)
- 1 Empire Builder train east to Chicago
- 1 Coast Starlight train south to Los Angeles
Notable places nearby
- Pioneer Square National Historic District
- Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park
- International District
- Metro Transit Tunnel
- Qwest Field
- Safeco Field
- Union Station
Gallery
Notes and references
- ^ Riley, Kate (2006-12-17). "Crowning the King". Seattle Times . http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=sundayriley17&date=20061217&query=King+Street+Station . Retrieved 2007-02-02 .
- ^ Schwantes, Carlos (1993). Railroad Signatures across the Pacific Northwest . Seattle: University of Washington Press. pp. 226. ISBN 0295975350.
- ^ "King Street Station--Seattle, Washington: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service . http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/seattle/s31.htm . Retrieved 2007-08-12 .
- ^ a b Seattle Historical Society (March 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form" (PDF). National Park Service, Department of Interior . http://www.dahp.wa.gov/gis/pdfs/228.pdf . Retrieved 2007-08-27 .
- ^ a b "Seattle, WA - Great American Stations". Amtrak . http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stationinfo/wa-seattle/ . Retrieved 2007-02-02 .
- ^ "Seattle City Ordinance, No. 122312". Office of City Clerk, City of Seattle. 2006-12-11 . http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?s1=&s2=&s3=&s4=&s5=King+Street+Station&Sect4=AND&l=20&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THESON&Sect3=PLURON&Sect5=CBOR1&Sect6=HITOFF&d=CBOR&p=1&u=%2F%7Epublic%2Fcbor1.htm&r=1&f=G . Retrieved 2007-02-02 . ...
National Academy of Permanent Cosmetics in Montana
National Academy of Permanent Cosmetics Training offered in Missoula MT, Boise ID, and Seattle, WA
Seattle Permanent Makeup Specialist Vitality Medispa Dr Jodi ...
Get permanent makup applications from Vitality, Seattle's best Medispa. Get useful information, before and after pictures, and answers to your most frequently asked questions.
Permanent Cosmetics for Eyes and Lips by Helen – Seattle Tacoma Area
Permanent Cosmetics and Makeup by Helen - Seattle Tacoma, WA area. See permanent cosmetics before and after photos for eyebrows, eyeliners and lip liners.
Permanent Cosmetics by Helen -- Lipliner – in the Seattle Tacoma ...
Permanent Cosmetics for your lips by Helen - Seattle Tacoma, WA area. See permanent cosmetics before and after photos of lips.
Another You Permanent Cosmetic - 1229 Madison St. #610 Seattle, WA ...
Reviews and ratings of Another You Permanent Cosmetic at 1229 Madison St. #610 Seattle, WA, 98104. Get phone numbers, maps, directions and addresses for Another You ...
Seattle.com: A Beautiful Face Permanent Cosmetics
A Beautiful Face Permanent Cosmetics 10318 Midvale Ave Seattle, WA 98133 map district: Seattle Tel. +1 206.985.2869
Washington Permanent Cosmetic Technicians
Another You Permanent Cosmetics Seattle, WA 98104 206-354-0692 danette-permanentcosmetics@hotmail.com www.danetteproszek.com Dina Good, New Member
Seattle.com: Another You Permanent Cosmetics
Associated With Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Surgeons, Eye Browns, Eye Liner, Lip Color, Natural Looking
Permanent Cosmetics, Permanent MakeUp, Bellevue, Seattle, Factoria
Permanent makeup and permanent cosmetics help you to look your best and no one knows you're wearing it!