Formerly an abandoned building in Seattle’s Pioneer Square National Historic District, the Metropole building now is a vital resource center for community, climate response and racial equity. Constructed in 1892, the building had been damaged by multiple earthquakes, fire and exposure to the elements during 17 years of vacancy. This highly sustainable adaptive-reuse project has transformed the 34,000-square-foot historic building into a center for non-profits, serving Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities, demonstrating that historic preservation, climate leadership and social justice can be simultaneously achieved.
Community-first Approach
Commissioned by the Satterberg Foundation, a Seattle-based philanthropic organization, the project supports the foundation’s mission to promote a sustainable environment and a just society.
“In funding this project, Satterberg was motivated to take action to help non-profits that could no longer afford downtown office space stay in our city,” says Sarah Walczyk, Satterberg Foundation’s executive director. “The Metropole building project sits at the nexus of our commitment to promoting a just society and a sustainable environment.”…