The Holyoke Building (or Holyoke Block) is a historic building located in downtown Seattle, Washington. It is a substantial five story brick structure with stone trimmings. Construction began at the corner of First Avenue and Spring Streets just before the Great Seattle fire of 1889. Completed in early 1890, it was among the first permanent buildings completed and ready for occupancy in downtown Seattle following the fire. Today the Holyoke Building is one of the very few such buildings still standing in Seattle outside of the Pioneer Square district and is a historic remnant of the northward expansion of Seattle's business district between the time of the great fire and the Yukon Gold Rush in 1897. The Holyoke Building housed many social and artistic clubs and organizations throughout its history. As early as 1895 it housed the Conservatory of Arts on the top floor. Later in the 1920s the Seattle Musical Club brought many local artists and musicians together in the building and other private and social clubs shared the building with toiletry manufactures and offices. The Holyoke Building is a subdued example of the Victorian Commercial style with elements of Romanesque style and remains almost completely intact from when it was built even down to the storefronts, which had been altered over time but have now been restored. It is the only known existing work of architects Thomas Bird and George Dornbach, whose brief partnership had ended before the building was even completed. Following the restoration of the building in 1975 by the building's owner Harbor Properties, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and became a City of Seattle Landmark in 1978. History Early history: 1889 - 1930 The Holyoke Building takes its name from Richard Holyoke (1836–1906), a native of New Brunswick, Canada who immigrated to the Puget Sound region in 1860 to gain a foothold in the burgeoning timber industry, and was involved in the establishment of the mills at Seabeck. His venture was a success and even after Seabeck's mills were destroyed by fire in 1886 spelling the death of that community, he continued purchasing large amounts of Seattle property to show his faith in the area's future. Holyoke became a prominent community figure and a major booster for local lumber. He was the treasurer of the Farmers' Insurance Company and established and became the first president of the National