Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Seattle Branch
historic place
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco established its Seattle Branch on September 19, 1917. For its initial three decades, the branch operated from leased spaces in downtown Seattle. A dedicated building for the Seattle Branch was later constructed at 1015 Second Avenue. Plans for this permanent home were drawn in 1948, and construction began on April 20, 1950. Designed in a Modernist style by the local architectural firm Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson, the building was completed in 1950 and officially opened on January 2, 1951. It featured a robust two-story vault with 30-inch steel-reinforced concrete walls. This building served as the Seattle branch's headquarters for over 50 years. In 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Seattle Branch, relocated to a new facility in Renton, Washington. The former downtown building was recognized for its historical significance and was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on February 4, 2013. This site represents a significant example of post-war Modernist architecture in Seattle.