Did you know there was an escalator on the western side of the two-story King Street Station? There was, but now it is no more. It was removed last week as part of the historic renovation of the King Street Station. The “moving stairway” as it was called then, was added to the building in 1949. When this “modern addition” was added with a brick wall enclosing it, the grand staircase leading from the Jackson Street Plaza to the waiting room below, was also enclosed and narrowedto half of its original size. With the removal of the escalator and brick enclosure wall, the grand stairway will once again be out in the open where it was designed to be originally. The stairway will be restored and serve as a grand entry from the Jackson Plaza to the King Street Station, a public asset that is an important part of Seattle’s history. For over one hundred years it has improved connections, serving as a gateway for millions of travelers coming into Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. While the rehabilitation restores the beauty of this old structure, it also prepares the station to serve future generations for another hundred years.
Who knew?
by June 28, 2010
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