Rowhomes and alleys in Seattle (2015, houses, neighborhoods)

[runningillini]

Hello,

I'm curious about the forms of row houses in different cities. Was row houses ever a part of Seattle's architectural histiory.

In Chicago, we have row houses that aren't quite connected. There's a small 3' gap between the buildings (locally called gangways, because the Capone-era gangs used to use the gap to make their escape). The attached thumbnail is an example. I'm really curious about this sort of "almost row-house". Does Seattle have any buildings like this? Could anyone provide me any examples?

[CrazyDonkey]

This is what I think of as "rowhouses":





San Francisco, Chicago, and many East Coast cities have them, but Seattle doesn't. We have these, however:

[eightbitguy]

We do have some row houses, but they're very rare. I know there is a set of about 8-10 in Wallingford from the 1930s:


https://www.theurbanist.org/2015/08/...ord-rowhouses/


Of course, we also have some modern ones like what CD posted above, but nothing from the early 20th century outside a few single block developments. And by "a few" I really do mean like 3 or 4 developments in the entire city.

[LynninSeattle]

Originally Posted by runningillini

Hello,

I'm curious about the forms of row houses in different cities. Was row houses ever a part of Seattle's architectural histiory.

In Chicago, we have row houses that aren't quite connected. There's a small 3' gap between the buildings (locally called gangways, because the Capone-era gangs used to use the gap to make their escape). The attached thumbnail is an example. I'm really curious about this sort of "almost row-house". Does Seattle have any buildings like this? Could anyone provide me any examples?

I don’t think those are rowhouses. They’re just building with very small setbacks.

[eightbitguy]

Originally Posted by LynninSeattle

I don’t think those are rowhouses. They’re just building with very small setbacks.

They are by definition, rowhouses:


https://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/group...dpds021571.pdf

[ScottStielow]

Looks like a row house to me. Just a different style.

[LynninSeattle]

Originally Posted by eightbitguy

They are by definition, rowhouses:


https://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/group...dpds021571.pdf

According to the document you linked, rowhouses are attached side by side along common walls. The houses in the pictures the original poster provided are not attached.

[pnwguy2]

Row houses are not a big Seattle feature. I think the idea of dense housing was never contemplated until Amazon came to town.

Alleys are quite common in Seattle's older neighborhoods. Usually access to a backyard garage.

[DavePa]

Chart of % of cities with single homes, double attached and row-housing to multi-residential.
Check the aqua blue is row-housing. Seattle's is higher then Chicago's but Lower then LAs, San Diego's and Atlanta's.

Realize that row-housing is fully attached. Not even inches apart.

[eightbitguy]

Originally Posted by LynninSeattle

According to the document you linked, rowhouses are attached side by side along common walls. The houses in the pictures the original poster provided are not attached.

I was talking about the second picture of the modern design Seattle houses, not the SF ones.