The Sanctuary combines the practices of historic preservation and adaptive reuse to revive a century-old church into a significant, luxurious multifamily building. Located in the vibrant and dense neighborhood of Capitol Hill in Seattle, the 12 distinctively modern townhomes respect the beauty and significance of the house of worship while providing environmental performance and durable features.
The historically focused project reuses many original interior elements, such as the stunning original stained glass interior dome of the church sanctuary.
Before construction began, crews recycled thousands of board-feet of quarter-sawn oak and vertical grain fir flooring, original doors, cabinets, light fixtures and pews. Each luxury townhome within Sanctuary retains the 35-foot ceilings, original decorative plasterwork and stained-glass windows, while integrating new metalwork and cabinets by local artisans and stair risers repurposed from church pews. The ornate stained-glass domed atrium respectfully remains as the defining feature of the project, allowing natural light into each townhome.
To address scarce parking, careful excavation and lowering of the original floor resulted in controlled-access underground parking. Each residence has elevator access to parking, an exterior entry and balcony overlooking the atrium. The Sanctuary adaptive reuse ensures this grand landmark continues in a new life for future generations.
