A buyer has stepped forward for a Capitol Hill home designated a ‘historical site’ by the Department of Neighborhoods and priced at more than $3.1 million. The Megrath Mansion was listed for sale about two weeks ago. The sale is still pending so no final sales price is yet available. The seller is biotech executive Leonard Blum. According to City of Seattle records, the home was built for building contractor John Megrath in 1904.
Here is background on the property from the mansion’s ‘historical site’ entry:
Significance
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places.
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.
In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic district (National and/or local).
This house was noted in the city’s 1979 historic resources survey, and in the Guide to Architecture in Washington State. It was built in 1904 for John Megrath, a prominent building contractor and owner of Washington Brick and Tile. It was owned for many years by the Olmstead family, who purchased it in 1933. This block is within the original Capitol Hill of James A. Moore, who gave the area its name. In 1900 Moore, who had already developed other Seattle neighborhoods, purchased and began platting 160 acres, roughly between 11th and 20th avenues, from Roy Street north to Galer. Before selling lots for construction, he graded and paved the streets (eliminating the dust that plagued many sections), installed sidewalks, water mains and sewer lines, and planned for street lights and telephone poles. Lots went on sale in 1901, heavily promoted to attract local business leaders as residents. The response was immediate. The quality infrastructure, convenient transportation, schools and other amenities proved to be very popular and the area was largely developed, with sizable, attractive houses, within only a few years.Appearance
This house has an imposing two-story pedimented portico with Corinthian columns and pilasters flanking the entry and at the corners. Within the portico is a second story porch with a curving wrought iron balustrade. The hip roof has deep bracketed eaves with a row of dentils below. A wide belt course runs below the plain frieze, extending down to the second-story windows. Cladding is clapboard. Front windows on the first floor have leaded glass transoms and pediments above. The oak door has sidelights plain sidelights with leaded glass transoms. Other windows are one-over-one sash, mostly in pairs. Each side has a dormer with a Palladian window with 6-over-6 sash. In front of the house is one of the few remaining carriage stepping stones.
