History Then and Now

 
Established in 1908, Queen Anne High School was built during a pivotal era of educational reform, when debates over liberal arts, vocational training, and immigrant assimilation shaped public schooling. Its construction responded to Seattle’s population surge after the Alaska Gold Rush.
 
 
Classes began in the fall of 1908. School Board President John Schram noted that students would gain "a higher sense of self-respect if the building and its surroundings and equipment command their admiration." In response, the school was designed in a grand style inspired by English late-Renaissance palaces, featuring terra cotta ornamentation to celebrate the value of education. The building included modern facilities such as laboratories and rooms for manual training and domestic science. "Surely there is no school in the United States that has such a breathtaking setting." 
 
 
In fact, a school board report claimed this Neo-classical building, situated atop the crest of Queen Anne Hill, "marked the summit of achievement thus far in Seattle school architecture." Edgar Blair, a school board member and later the School District architect, noted "it is the most modern and costly building in Seattle.... providing spacious corridors, ample exits, abundant light and fresh air . . . and toilet facilities on every floor."
 
 
In 1928, with rising enrollment and overcrowding, construction was launched to expand the facility with 10 additional classrooms, a boys' gymnasium, a botany laboratory and greenhouse, and an auditorium. The addition carried on the structure and ornamentation of the original building. 
 
 
During World War II, the priority of a high school education changed:  "There was a whole group taking extra classes so we could graduate early and join the service," a graduate explained, and Queen Anne's enrollment dropped. After World War II, a second major addition was needed. The 1955 addition included an Industrial Arts Building connected to the 1929 addition by a breezeway. 
 
 
With only 850 students in 1980-81, the decision was made to close the school. In 1984, the Seattle School District, in cooperation with Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority, chose a local development company to lease the site and convert it for residential use while preserving its historic character. Classroom space was transformed into 139 apartments. During the adaptive reuse process, the building was designated a Seattle Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The 1929 auditorium-gymnasium was demolished to create a circular driveway and entrance.  Much of the interior of the building was altered but some features, such as the Galer Street entrance, the tall windows, and many of the blackboards survived.
 
 
In 2006, Legacy Partners converted the apartments into high-end condominiums. The masonry was restored, the terra cotta repaired, and the exterior thoroughly cleaned. Following the renovations, the units were offered for sale throughout 2007.
Today, the condos are overseen by a homeowners' board composed of resident owners, working in partnership with a professional management company. Since the initial conversion, several upgrades have been made, including modernized elevators, new carpeting and paint throughout the building, and enhancements to the shared deck with Trex flooring and updated lighting.
Ongoing projects continue to improve the community experience, such as the creation of a new library on the fourth floor and the addition of new gathering furniture near the IA building.
 
Here we are in 2025 at QAHS with our newest photos of our cutest residents!