Seattle Construction

1978 - 1990

Washington State Convention & Trade Center

Christmas morning, 1978, found me wandering the streets of downtown Seattle looking for suitable subject matter for my camera. I was setting up on an old, closed-down gas station when I realized that this valuable downtown real estate would not be a gas station much longer. I vowed to return the following Christmas to document the changes of what was to become the 55 story Seafirst Fifth Avenue Plaza Building. Thus began an eleven year documentation of the building of Downtown Seattle.

In the beginning, I would sneak through the construction fences early on Sunday mornings to get my pictures. Ultimately, this wasn't enough, and I went to the developers and contractors to gain legitimate access during working hours. This allowed me access to elevators as well, which meant that I was able to document the top floors as well as the bottom floors. This also meant that the men and women building these structures could become a part of my documentation. I have at least a few negatives of more than 30 construction projects.

The years between 1974 or 5 through 1990 saw the most construction in downtown Seattle since the city burned down at the end of the previous century. It was during that decade and a half that Seattle became a city.

The METRO Tunnel

Washington Mutual Tower

The West Seattle Bridge

2 Union Square

The Columbia Center

Ladders