The Depression put a bit of a damper on things, but 1223 Spring Street persisted, transforming into a co-op and, later, condos. Time has marched on, but the charm of the original building—and the full-time door staff—remains.

Walk through the lobby, shared with one neighbor—we say whoever’s lived here longest is responsible for decorating—and arrive in the gallery, prime space for displaying an art collection. The original oak parquet floors here run throughout most rooms.

Through an arched entry, the living room features a wood-burning fireplace with its original marble and a convenient chute for dumping the ashes. Outside the windows of this third-floor unit—which faces west, north, and south—a tree canopy gives it that residential feel. Speaking of the windows, the architect designed them to be cracked open in the summertime to get cross-ventilation throughout, providing a breeze that’s naturally cooling. In the colder months, radiators provide steam heat.

For food-related spaces, there’s a kitchen with an eat-in area, a formal dining room, and a butler’s pantry. Butlers may not be a part of everyone's household these days, but who won't appreciate all that storage space.

The three bedrooms have wool carpet. According to the original marketing prospectus, each of the bedrooms was designed to have an abundance of wardrobe space, “including a drawer for shoes, a hat drawer, and a drawer sufficiently large for gowns without folding.” Because, you know, folding your gowns is a real bummer.

The condo comes with storage on the first floor, where there’s also a formal lobby, a laundry room, a boardroom, and a reading room. On the south side of the building, there are two levels of parking.

Listing Fast Facts

1223 Spring St, Unit 301
Size: 2,666 square feet, 3 bedrooms/2.5 baths
List Date: 1/16/2023
List Price: $1,300,000, $2,704/mo HOA
Listing Agent: Kristi Buck, Coldwell Banker Bain

Around the turn of the twentieth century, First Hill became the hot neighborhood for Seattle residents of means, given its unfettered views and proximity to downtown. While it mansions are what first popped up, apartment buildings soon followed. And in 1929, one of the most luxurious of them all opened: 1223 Spring Street.

The concrete building with brick and terra-cotta ornamentation was designed by Earl Wilson Morrison, known for his high-rise apartments in Seattle and elsewhere in Washington. It was modeled after the Park Avenue style in New York City, with all the creature comforts the well-to-do could want: Fireplaces! Foyers! Electric clothes dryers! Separate service elevators!