The Metropole Building Project

Seattle, WA, United States

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The Metropole Building Project

Seattle, WA, United States

Firm

BuildingWork

Type

Commercial › Office
Government + Health › Community Center

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2025

SIZE

25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft

Once a crumbling relic in the heart of Seattle’s Pioneer Square, the historic Metropole building has been reimagined as a powerful new center for community, equity, and sustainability. Architecture and design firm BuildingWork, in collaboration with the Satterberg Foundation, has transformed the 34,000-square-foot structure into a vibrant home for nonprofit organizations serving communities of color. LEED Platinum and designed for long-term climate resilience, the Metropole is now one of the most environmentally and socially forward-thinking adaptive reuse projects in the country.

Originally constructed in 1892, the Metropole had stood vacant and crumbling since 2007, following decades of seismic damage and structural neglect. BuildingWork’s design carefully rehabilitates the building’s original sandstone and brick masonry, reintegrates missing architectural elements, and reconstructs collapsed upper floors, all while introducing modern structural, life safety, and seismic systems. The result is a thoughtful blend of preservation and innovation that honors the building’s past while preparing it for decades of community service.

At the heart of the Metropole’s mission is a powerful community-serving program. The building now houses a range of nonprofits dedicated to advancing equity and opportunity. In addition to office space, the program includes a child care center, community kitchen, arts and cultural venues, and a conference and event center—all designed to support and empower Seattle’s BIPOC communities.

The Metropole is one of the most energy-efficient buildings in Seattle, with an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of 18, less than half the average for similar building types. Among the building’s many sustainable features are a cutting-edge HVAC system using natural ventilation and radiant heating and cooling; solar panel arrays with battery storage; low-flow water fixtures and drought-tolerant landscaping; and extensive reuse of original materials to minimize embodied carbon. No fossil fuels are used onsite, and all materials were vetted for low toxicity and environmental transparency.

With two and a half years of design and permitting and three years of construction, the Metropole stands as BuildingWork’s most complex, innovative, and ambitious adaptive reuse project to date. More than a preservation effort, the project redefines what it means to restore a historic building for public good—proving that climate-conscious, community-driven design can powerfully shape the future while honoring the past.