June 3, 2024

Metropole, under renovation, reveals its foundations

Photo by Brian Miller [enlarge]

The building’s old areaways may find new use.

Areaways, as any Pioneer Square historian will tell you, are the usable underground spaces that extend beyond the footprint of certain old structures. After the Great Seattle Fire, that area of the city was regraded before rebuilding — thus creating the voids below raised streets.

Rendering by BuildingWork [enlarge]

The nonprofit owner, now seeking tenants, hopes to open the Metropole late this year.

Pedestrians know those areaways by their signature glass-studded sidewalks, which allow light below. (Tourists take underground tours to see.) Such semi-translucent paving is, however, subject to breakage and damage, and repairs are now underway at the Metropole renovation/addition project at 423 Second Ave. Ext. S.

Construction began there two years ago under W.G. Clark Construction. Architect BuildingWork designed the project for the Satterberg Foundation, a nonprofit that intends to house like-minded enterprises within the restored office building.

There, steel plates have covered the sidewalk along Second until recently. Now those are gone, and the areaways are newly exposed, providing a rare glimpse — through the green construction fencing — into Pioneer Square's past. Pedestrians, protected by orange traffic barriers, meanwhile detour into the street.

Above ground, the project is steadily gaining more polish, with restored masonry and some new windows installed in the main Metropole building. The penthouse level is visible if you walk uphill on Yesler Way. And the two-story addition to the south end of the complex, the former Busy Bee Cafe, has topped out.

The owner has been recruiting tenants during construction; no outside broker is representing the building, which will end up with about 32,000 square feet —above grade, plus the basement and areaways below. The optimistic goal for completion is this fall.