Fremont Building

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The Fremont Building, also known as the Remsberg Building, is a historic two-story commercial building at 3419 Fremont Avenue North in Seattle. Built in 1911 in the Revival style, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 12, 1992. Today it houses offices and retail, including an antique mall in the basement.

The original owner was Charles E. Remsberg, a lawyer who became a superior court judge and Fremont pioneer. He supported the Lake Washington Ship Canal and helped establish the Fremont State Bank across the street. In 1901 he built the first Fremont Hotel nearby. A fire in 1903 damaged the hotel and nearby shops, and an annex was added in 1907 with 50 hotel rooms.

In 1911, when a new street called Fremont Place was planned to cut through the block, Remsberg rebuilt the hotel to maximize the remaining land. Architects Josenhans & Allan redesigned the street facade with concrete blocks and a pressed tin cornice for a more permanent look. The new building cost about $20,000 and included six ground-floor storefronts and offices above. The Fremont Hotel continued to use the 1907 annex and a wing behind the office building containing 36 rooms.

Remsberg owned the building until November 1918, when it was sold at auction by the Fremont State Bank. Today the structure retains much of its original design, including the wood-frame storefront windows. The 1907 annex is now a single floor but still features the Beaux-Arts architrave entrance, once the hotel’s main entrance.