The King Street Station, first opened in 1906, is a historic landmark in Seattle. The building had fallen into disrepair over the years due to weather, time, and increasing transit demands. In an effort to preserve the historic site, the City of Seattle purchased the station from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company in 2008 and began a massive restoration campaign in 2009.

Several phases of the project have already addressed issues with the exterior of the building and the structural integrity of the foundation. In 2011, focus shifted to the interior of the building; specifically, the main waiting room. The interior of the building originally featured ornate marble walls and plaster decor. Many of the finer details in the construction were either lost through construction projects or degraded over time. The repairs brought back all of the features that were lost and more using only 13% of the total budget. The site now looks the part of a valued historic landmark.

As certain rooms within the building are still under construction, United Reprographics was commissioned to print a large banner to conceal the unfinished areas during the unveiling of the main waiting room. The banner features sections of the original blueprints for King Street Station.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn speaks to the assembled crowd to celebrate the reopening of the main waiting room.

The crowd applauds as the new chandeliers are lit for the first time. The long windows in the left side of the photo show one of the banners we printed to conceal the areas still under construction. The images shown on the banner are pictures from the early years of the station.

Below is a photo of the second large banner we produced for the event featuring the vintage blueprints for the station.

Renovations will continue to make the station a beautiful and long-lasting addition to Seattle’s historical landmarks.