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A black-and-white photograph of an elaborate, brick building with two wings wrapping around a central courtyard, with a turret to the left. A 1940s car is on the street in front.
1600 E John Street in 1949. | PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle; All Rights Reserved

12 stunning historic buildings by Frederick Anhalt

These 1920s and 1930s buildings cover the city in Tudor and Mission Revival style

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1600 E John Street in 1949. | PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle; All Rights Reserved

Fred Anhalt was never an architect—at least, not officially—but his architectural influence is all over Seattle, with some of the most showstopping apartment buildings in the city, especially on Capitol Hill. Even if you’re not familiar with him, you probably know his work, with styles harkening back to old Europe: half-timbering, Gothic arches, and even the occasional turret. In Anhalt buildings, two units are rarely alike, thanks to the buildings’ unique floorplans.

But officially, Anhalt was a developer. He founded his building company in 1925, and by the end of that decade, he became a prolific builder of luxury apartments. He worked fast—many of his buildings were built before the stock market crash of 1929, when his company went bankrupt—and lent his expertise to architecture, design, landscaping, and building alike. He continued building residences throughout his career, though, including single-family homes. In the 1940s, Anhalt ultimately left the business to start a nursery, a fitting next act for someone who designed so many elaborate courtyards.

Starting in the 1970s, his work started earning landmark designations. One approved in 1980 notes that Anhalt helped define an era in Seattle construction, successfully merging apartment and single-family home styles “before downzoning restricted multifamily units in many of Seattle’s stylish single-family residential communities.”

With a style as distinct as Anhalt’s, it’s hard to imagine that he was never licensed or formally trained as an architect. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recognized this, and granted him an honorary membership in 1993, just a few years before his death at a whopping 100 years old.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it includes some of his most iconic works.

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Anhalt Apartments, 1927

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Among the earlier buildings in Anhalt’s construction boom is this one in Queen Anne—and, although the Seattle Historic Resources Survey notes that he developed other apartments in the area, it’s the only one in his distinct style. Its dramatic fronting gives the impression of three buildings, with three wings stretching out around two narrow courtyards. Despite its size, the building only has nine units, which remain rentals.

A long building with brick below and half-timbering above faces a street. More houses are on the hill above it.
1320 Queen Anne Avenue N in 1927.
Austin Seward Photograph Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle; All Rights Reserved

1014 E Roy Street, 1928

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The landmark designation for this building, approved in the late 1970s, notes that this building has the first underground parking garage ever constructed in a Seattle apartment building—and construction involved the single largest concrete pour ever done in the city at the time. It spent some time as a co-op, but today it’s a condo building.

Oak Manor, 1928

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This Anhalt project, now condos, has a heavier use of exterior brick than some of its neighbors, plus a prominent turret, leaded-glass windows, and elaborate interior millwork.

711 NE 43rd Street, 1928

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While Anhalt is known for projects in the Capitol Hill area, he did occasionally venture north of the Ship Canal—and the University District’s heavy Tudor look is a good fit for his style, anyway. This one’s significantly calmer than some of his Capitol Hill projects—no turrets, no courtyards, fewer gables, and a more straightforward pop of half-timbering—but still distinctly Anhalt, combining Tudor and Arts and Crafts styles.

He originally built this one a block from its current location, but it was moved in 1958. Typical of the area, its apartments are still rentals.

Anhalt Arms, 1928

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This building near the busy intersection of 15th and John—within a dense corridor of Anhalt projects—boasts both a round turret and a square turret, in a characteristic mixing of revival styles. It’s still full of rental units today.

The turret of a brick building. It’s nestled inside a corner of the building. The wall to the right is covered in ivy.
Anhalt Arms in 1975.
Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives, item No. 182151

The Martello, 1916/1928

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This is a weird one, because it wasn’t originally built by Anhalt. Initially, it was a very elaborate single-family home, but Anhalt was brought in to remodel it in the 1920s heyday. It was remodeled again in 1990.

This building is pretty recognizable—it’s the one with the giant turret facing the University Bridge on the Eastlake side, which spent a long time as Romio’s Pizza and Pasta, although it’s now Sebi’s Bistro.

Twin Gables, 1929

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Built in the peak of Anhalt’s development spree around Capitol Hill, this building is full of twists and turns, with multiple interior and exterior courtyard entries and a variety of dormers and window bays. It’s currently home to condos.

A two-story brick building with a sloped roof, but a large gable on the far right and a siding-coated dormer.
1516 E Republican Street in the 1970s.
Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives, item No. 182147

1201 E John Street, 1929

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Right at the busy intersection of 12th and John, this one is extremely visible, although partially hidden behind a dramatic hedge. Homes in this condo building range from an elaborate, multi-story penthouse to a comparably modest studio.

A courtyard features brick paths surrounding a central tree. Behind it, a building with brick below and half-timbering above wraps around the courtyard.
1201 E John Street in 2019—taken for a listing for a studio home for sale there.
Travis Peterson/Courtesy of Windermere

Tudor Manor, 1929

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Now a collection of unique condos, this Capitol Hill building exemplifies Anhalt’s eclectic style, with Norman, Tudor, and Mission Revival details visible from courtyard—one of his larger ones—alone, sometimes within the same gable.

An apartment building with multiple half-timbered gables surrounds a large courtyard, with a brick wall and iron gate out front.
Tudor Manor in 1931.
PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle; All Rights Reserved

1005 Apartments, 1930

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This north Capitol Hill building a few blocks from Volunteer Park—and adjacent to a previous Anhalt project—became a Seattle landmark in 1980. Among other things, the designation notes that Anhalt successfully merged apartment and single-family home styles “before downzoning restricted multifamily units in many of Seattle’s stylish single-family residential communities.”

The apartments here have been well-preserved and are still available to rent, although they run pretty steep.

721 Boylston Avenue E, 1930

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In the northwest corner of Capitol Hill, this building, now condos, is a taller and boxier example of Anhalt’s work.

1600 E John Street, 1930

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This building has perhaps the freshest remodel out of Anhalt’s body of work—which is probably why it looks so tidy. It also has a slightly different history than its siblings.

From 1969 to 2009, it wasn’t filled with homes, but offices for adjacent Group Health (now Kaiser Permanente). A developer took it over, and in 2014, restored the original 24 apartments and added 15 in a modern building next door, naming both Anhalt. All that change means the apartment interiors are a little minimalist compared to some other Anhalt buildings, but it still has its courtyard, exterior details, and elaborate spiral staircase.

Anhalt Apartments, 1927

Among the earlier buildings in Anhalt’s construction boom is this one in Queen Anne—and, although the Seattle Historic Resources Survey notes that he developed other apartments in the area, it’s the only one in his distinct style. Its dramatic fronting gives the impression of three buildings, with three wings stretching out around two narrow courtyards. Despite its size, the building only has nine units, which remain rentals.

A long building with brick below and half-timbering above faces a street. More houses are on the hill above it.
1320 Queen Anne Avenue N in 1927.
Austin Seward Photograph Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle; All Rights Reserved

1014 E Roy Street, 1928

The landmark designation for this building, approved in the late 1970s, notes that this building has the first underground parking garage ever constructed in a Seattle apartment building—and construction involved the single largest concrete pour ever done in the city at the time. It spent some time as a co-op, but today it’s a condo building.

Oak Manor, 1928

This Anhalt project, now condos, has a heavier use of exterior brick than some of its neighbors, plus a prominent turret, leaded-glass windows, and elaborate interior millwork.

711 NE 43rd Street, 1928

While Anhalt is known for projects in the Capitol Hill area, he did occasionally venture north of the Ship Canal—and the University District’s heavy Tudor look is a good fit for his style, anyway. This one’s significantly calmer than some of his Capitol Hill projects—no turrets, no courtyards, fewer gables, and a more straightforward pop of half-timbering—but still distinctly Anhalt, combining Tudor and Arts and Crafts styles.

He originally built this one a block from its current location, but it was moved in 1958. Typical of the area, its apartments are still rentals.

Anhalt Arms, 1928

This building near the busy intersection of 15th and John—within a dense corridor of Anhalt projects—boasts both a round turret and a square turret, in a characteristic mixing of revival styles. It’s still full of rental units today.

The turret of a brick building. It’s nestled inside a corner of the building. The wall to the right is covered in ivy.
Anhalt Arms in 1975.
Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives, item No. 182151

The Martello, 1916/1928

This is a weird one, because it wasn’t originally built by Anhalt. Initially, it was a very elaborate single-family home, but Anhalt was brought in to remodel it in the 1920s heyday. It was remodeled again in 1990.

This building is pretty recognizable—it’s the one with the giant turret facing the University Bridge on the Eastlake side, which spent a long time as Romio’s Pizza and Pasta, although it’s now Sebi’s Bistro.

Twin Gables, 1929

Built in the peak of Anhalt’s development spree around Capitol Hill, this building is full of twists and turns, with multiple interior and exterior courtyard entries and a variety of dormers and window bays. It’s currently home to condos.

A two-story brick building with a sloped roof, but a large gable on the far right and a siding-coated dormer.
1516 E Republican Street in the 1970s.
Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives, item No. 182147

1201 E John Street, 1929

Right at the busy intersection of 12th and John, this one is extremely visible, although partially hidden behind a dramatic hedge. Homes in this condo building range from an elaborate, multi-story penthouse to a comparably modest studio.

A courtyard features brick paths surrounding a central tree. Behind it, a building with brick below and half-timbering above wraps around the courtyard.
1201 E John Street in 2019—taken for a listing for a studio home for sale there.
Travis Peterson/Courtesy of Windermere

Tudor Manor, 1929

Now a collection of unique condos, this Capitol Hill building exemplifies Anhalt’s eclectic style, with Norman, Tudor, and Mission Revival details visible from courtyard—one of his larger ones—alone, sometimes within the same gable.

An apartment building with multiple half-timbered gables surrounds a large courtyard, with a brick wall and iron gate out front.
Tudor Manor in 1931.
PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle; All Rights Reserved

1005 Apartments, 1930

This north Capitol Hill building a few blocks from Volunteer Park—and adjacent to a previous Anhalt project—became a Seattle landmark in 1980. Among other things, the designation notes that Anhalt successfully merged apartment and single-family home styles “before downzoning restricted multifamily units in many of Seattle’s stylish single-family residential communities.”

The apartments here have been well-preserved and are still available to rent, although they run pretty steep.

721 Boylston Avenue E, 1930

In the northwest corner of Capitol Hill, this building, now condos, is a taller and boxier example of Anhalt’s work.

1600 E John Street, 1930

This building has perhaps the freshest remodel out of Anhalt’s body of work—which is probably why it looks so tidy. It also has a slightly different history than its siblings.

From 1969 to 2009, it wasn’t filled with homes, but offices for adjacent Group Health (now Kaiser Permanente). A developer took it over, and in 2014, restored the original 24 apartments and added 15 in a modern building next door, naming both Anhalt. All that change means the apartment interiors are a little minimalist compared to some other Anhalt buildings, but it still has its courtyard, exterior details, and elaborate spiral staircase.