November 7, 2022

Demolition set for Rainier Brewery annex

Photos courtesy of ScanlanKemperBard [enlarge]

The metal addition was added to the northernmost end of the property in the 1970s.

ScanlanKemperBard is planning to demolish a two-story annex building adjacent to the General Office building at the Original Rainier Brewery complex, which the firm purchased in late 2018.

The Original Rainier Brewery was constructed in the early 1900s for Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. and eventually housed Rainier Beer.

The complex, at 5624 -6004 Airport Way S., consists of four buildings: a Bottling Plant, the Malt House, the Warehouse and the General Office. All buildings are landmarked but the annex, which was added in the 1970s, is exempt.

[enlarge]

The building pictured before the addition.

SKB said it made the decision to knock down the 2,264-square-foot addition, which had been used as office space but is currently empty, to allow the architecture of the historic building to shine. “The annex just doesn't fit and detracts from the beauty of the historic property,” Jo Ann Williams, senior vice president, asset management, at SKB shared. She added that demolition will begin as soon as the project receives its permits from the city. The demolition plan was filled late last month.

JTM Construction, which recently moved into office space at the Brew House building located across the way from the General Office, will do the work. Nelson Worldwide is the project architect and AHBL is the civil engineer.

Elysian Brewing currently leases the entirety of space at the General Office. Williams said once demo is done the space formerly covered by the annex will be cleared out and turned into an attractive outside area, with seating, for Elysian.