 The building was designed by Carl Frelinghuysen Gould of Bebb and Gould with assistance from John Graham & Company . The architecture has a distinctive Art Deco style . The structure is perched on a hill overlooking downtown Seattle and is a prominent piece of the city 's skyline . It has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been recognized as a landmark by the City of Seattle . The building was retrofitted to better withstand an earthquake in the 1990s . However , portions of the building suffered significant damage and required repair due to the 2001 Nisqually earthquake . 
