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October 9, 2024

Restoration Washington

Photo courtesy of GK Knutson
Due to the Labor Temple’s historic Belltown location, materials arriving on site had to be carefully placed so as not to overload existing floor decks.

Labor Temple

Location: 2800 First Ave., Seattle

Contractor: GK Knutson

Architect: Kenneth Wilson Architect

Team: Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters

Built in 1942 in Seattle’s historic Belltown neighborhood, the Labor Temple was built from a need for the city’s dock workers to have a meeting place. It stands as a beacon to those hard-fought decades in American labor history when organization among workers was paramount. GK Knutson and the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters is proud to have worked on the newly restored facility that features 62 private offices, membership workspace, retail opportunities, a rooftop terrace and an interior/exterior courtyard lounge.

Working on property in downtown Seattle is always a challenge with crowded streets and little to no laydown area. The Labor Temple was no exception. Renovation of an existing facility brings additional challenges. Materials arriving on site had to be carefully placed so as not to overload existing floor decks. The risk of fire from construction activities in an 82-year-old wood structure required constant vigilance. Temporary structural supports had to be worked around, large holes in existing plaster walls made by other trades had to be patched and the increased number of changes that happen in any historic renovation were a constant. The result is a building that will last for at least another 82 years serving the workers of our area.


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