8. East Side of the 200 Block of 1st Avenue S

The building on southeast corner of 1st and Washington lost most of its character due to crude repairs after the 1949 earthquake. The adjacent City Loan building was home to a long-time pawn shop and then a restaurant founded by gastronomic legends Francois and Julia Kissel.

The balance of the block is faced by the Grand Central on the Park. Remodeled in 1971 by Ralph Anderson, Richard White, and Alan Black, the Grand Central encompasses the former Squire and Latimer Buildings dating from 1889. The southern Squire occupies the 1879 site of Watson C. Squire's Opera House, Seattle's first formal theater. The Grand Central's arcade contains numerous shops and eateries and opens on Occidental Park on the east.

Courtesy UW Library Special Collections