King County Courthouse
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The King County Courthouse is the seat of government of King County, Washington. It is located in downtown Seattle, Washington, just north of Pioneer Square. The 1916 structure houses courtrooms for King County Superior Court and Seattle District Court; the offices of the King County Executive, Prosecutor, and Sheriff; the chambers of the King County Council, and other court and county functions. It is located just north of City Hall Park at 516 Third Avenue, between Dilling Way and James Street.
First built as a five story building, construction was completed on an additional six floors in 1931, followed by a three story 'attic'. In 1967 an effort was made to modernize the appearance of the building. In 1987, the King County Courthouse was registered as a landmark, which limits the style of future remodeling of public areas to restoring the original appearance.
There is an enclosed skybridge connecting the courthouse to the King County Jail, and a pedestrian tunnel connecting it to the King County Administration Building.
After the 2001 Nisqually earthquake the Courthouse was seismically retrofitted. The extensive damage done to older buildings in the area by the 6.8 quake pushed the County to move forward with this project, which had been talked about for years. Upon completion, murals and a treatment of the marble floor on the first floor of the Courthouse were noted decorative touches.
The site was originally a plat for city founder Henry Yesler's mansion.
