Seattle Federal Office Building

Building information

Building Manager: Dwayne Smith

Public hours: 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (except federal holidays)

Parking and public transportation

There is no on-site parking available. Public parking is available at garages and parking lots on 1st Avenue and Western Avenue. Metered street parking is nearby.

The FOB is located one city block east of Seattle’s main Washington State ferry terminal, which services water taxis on both the Vashon and West Seattle routes as well as passenger and vehicle ferries on the Bainbridge and Bremerton routes. King County Metro bus stops and SoundTransit light rail/train stops are also in close proximity.

Public access

All public visitors are required to pass through electronic security screening equipment on the first floor.

ADA access is available at the right entrance to the building on 1st Ave. Ring the bell and guard will come down and open the door.

Key tenants

Major tenants are Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), National Park Service (NPS), and Veterans Administration (VA). In a 2017 Tenant Satisfaction Survey, 88% rated the federal building and GSA services four or five on a five-point scale.

Building amenities

History and architecture

Constructed in 1933, the Seattle Federal Office Building (FOB) was the first building in Seattle specifically designed for offices of the federal government. The designer of record was James A. Wetmore, the Department of the Treasury’s Supervising Architect. Among its first tenants were 52 federal agencies, the largest of which was the Department of the Treasury.

The site the FOB was constructed on is significant in the development of the city. Prominent Seattle citizen A.A. Denny claimed that it was where he and two other city founders, William Bell and Carson Boren, first beached their canoe in the winter of 1851 after sounding (measuring water depth) the entire shoreline of Elliott Bay by using horseshoes tied to the end of a line. Denny subsequently built the first settler’s cabin on the east side of Front Street (currently First Avenue), opposite the FOB site. The site is also associated with the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 that began across the street at the northeast corner of Front and Marion Streets. The fire destroyed over 64 acres and 58 blocks of the city’s commercial center but was instrumental in the subsequent rebirth, building development, and growth of Seattle. In 1974, the start of the Seattle Fire site was placed on the State Register of Historic Places. Two plaques commemorating the event were placed at the northeast corner of the FOB.

Awards

• Building added to the National Register of Historic Places: April 30, 1972 (NRHP reference #79003155)
• Site added to the State Register of Historic Places, 1974
• 2015 Green Challenge Award for Waste Reduction

Occupant information

As a historic property in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, we are excited to welcome you! We encourage you to explore and experience the unique features of our landmark building. This online resource provides FOB tenants with information on building services, amenities and systems. As you settle in here please take the time necessary to familiarize yourself with the content. We intend this to be a living and valuable resource to enhance your working experience.

FOB building amenities

The FOB offers a number of on-site amenities and services, including a post office, eating and vending area, joint use conference rooms and motorcycle and bicycle parking for tenants in garage.

FOB tenants have use of the cafeteria, auditorium, joint use conference rooms, health unit and fitness center located in the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building, directly across First Avenue. Fitness center requires membership through the tenant group.

Jackson Federal Building Amenities

Mail and deliveries

USPS, FedEx and UPS services are available, as well as messenger and other deliveries.

Regulations

Service requests

Building manager: 206-220-5055
For improvements, reimbursable services, keys, displays, space modifications, conference room reservations, etc.

Service Desk: 800-806-8145
For mechanical, housekeeping, facility issues, etc.

Seattle federal office building restoration starts during National Historic Preservation Month

SEATTLE, WA — The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has started on an exterior restoration project of the 86-year-old Seattle Federal Office building located in downtown Seattle.

The $24.2 million exterior improvement project will help preserve the first official federal building constructed in Seattle to house federal agencies. Coincidentally, the project started during National Historic Preservation Month in May. This project is a testament to the importance GSA places on restoration and preservation.

“The preservation of our region’s most important buildings is good for taxpayers and good for our federal tenants who rely on GSA to deliver on its mission of providing savings in real estate,” said Northwest/Arctic Region GSA Regional Administrator Roy Atwood.

The work on this important historical Seattle building includes restoration of the exterior terra cotta and brick facade, window restoration, roof replacement, and other projects to prevent the intrusion of water into the building.

Without this important restoration, weather and other forces will continue to degrade exterior material and damage the structural integrity of the building. The last major upgrades to the building were completed in 1993. As a registered historic building, all work must comply with the guidelines for historic structures.

Crews are expected to start soon and continue into the Summer of 2021. Perimeter fencing and scaffolding may be installed around the building for security and safety purposes. The fence could limit pedestrian accessibility on the sidewalks at times.

Additionally, one side of the building could be used as a staging area for the contractor which would impact pedestrian traffic and street traffic for a short period of time.

Please come back to this page for important updates to accessibility to the building and surrounding sidewalks as the project progresses.

Restoring this important Seattle building has been a priority for the GSA Northwest/Arctic Region for some time. Besides being the first home to more than 50 federal agencies when it opened, GSA recognizes the importance of increasing the building’s lifespan given the historical significance of the property on which it sits.

The site the Seattle Federal Building was constructed on is significant in the development of the city. Prominent Seattle citizen A.A. Denny claimed that it was here he and two other city founders, William Bell and Carson Boren, first beached their canoe in the winter of 1851, later establishing the area as Seattle. Denny subsequently built the first settler’s cabin on the east side of Front Street (currently First Avenue), opposite the Seattle Federal Building site.

The site is also associated with the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 that is believed to have been started with a glue pot that tipped over in what is now the boiler room for the building. The fire raged through the city — over 64 acres and 58 blocks of the city’s commercial center, which was destroyed. This fire started a rebirth of Seattle. In 1974, the site was placed on the State Register of Historic Places to commemorate the location where the great Seattle Fire started. The event is recognized with a plaque placed at the northeast corner of the Federal Office building.

Learn more at GSA Historic Preservation.

Project manager: Aaron Evanson, 206-445-5876
Public affairs officer: Christi Chidester Votisek, 415-816-8512