HistoryLink Tours

Just east of Boylston Avenue on the south side of E Union Street is the Phillips House. Accountant William Phillips developed this framed “double dwelling” in 1902. Designed by Edwin A. Williams & Rufus B. Clark, the building clearly expresses its two-part nature with slightly different profiles and ornamental treatments—a hybrid of Colonial Revival and Classic Box styles. Its attractive classical pediment, cornices, Palladian and oval windows, and rounded bay window present a rich facade to the street. While attached housing was common downtown and in city neighborhoods early in the twentieth century, nearly all examples have been demolished or altered. Boarded up for many years, this property was purchased by Historic Seattle and renovated into 11 units of low -income housing in 1993. The property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and represents another successful merger of historic preservation and affordable housing.