History

Wallingford Center is located in the Wallingford neighborhood, home to classic Craftsman bungalows and a business district established in the early 1900s. Housed in the former Interlake Elementary School, one of eleven wood frame schools built in 1904, Wallingford Center is currently painted a classic schoolhouse red. The elementary school functioned through 1970 when enrollment declined, then was utilized for several years as an annex to Lincoln High School, just a few blocks away. In 1981 the building was designated a Seattle Landmark, and the decision was made to convert it to mixed use, incorporating retail, restaurants, services and residential. Developed by Lorig Associates and designed by Tonkin, Hoyne, Lokan Architects, Wallingford Center retains many original details including columns gracing the exterior, two grand wooden staircases leading to the top floor apartments and expansive windows. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, Wallingford Center is a delightful building to explore. Don't miss the historic photos throughout the building, the beautiful fountain patio or the marble salvaged from the original lavatories to become the stair treads gracing the beautiful curved entry. At the intersection, find the publicly funded obelisk sculpture, Animal Storm, by local artist Ron Petty. Featuring a multitude of locally found animals, from fish to mammals to birds, this sculpture is fun to visit with kids.

The Wallingford Center remains the center of the Wallingford neighborhood and helps to create a small town feel in the big city.

• Info about Animal Storm & more photos