Who’s got spare cash and wants to buy a Seattle landmark? The iconic (and basically fully-furnished) Smith Tower is currently on the market.
The building has changed hands a bunch of times in its 109-year history, and was most recently sold to investment bank Goldman Sachs in 2019. No price was revealed this time around, but we’re going to guess that number is high since that 2019 sale was for a reported $138 million.
Here’s what any interested buyer would be getting for their money.
A whole lotta history
Smith Tower was named after its builder Lyman Cornelius “LC” Smith, a big shot from New York who accrued a fortune through typewriters and firearms (guess the combo made sense back then). His ambition was to create the largest skyscraper outside New York City to advertise his brand.
Mission accomplished, since the tower was the fourth-tallest building in the world when it opened in 1914.
Among the historic amenities:
- A 35th-floor observatory that has a cocktail lounge and hosts events
- An elevator still chugging along with the original motor installed in 1914
- The Wishing Chair said to be a gift from the Empress Dowager Cixi of China — legend has it that if you sit in it, you’ll be married within a year
- Maybe a ghost
Home, sweet home?
We have visions of turning the Smith Tower into the ultimate party pad. After all, there’s a 2,128-sqft penthouse rental at the tippy top with sweet views of the city, a spiral staircase, and access to the tower’s glass globe.
According to a flier advertising the tower’s sale, a buyer would also have “flexibility” to either fully or partially convert some of the offices into residences down the line. About half the commercial space is currently empty, so sky’s the limit.
