Metropole Building

Located across from Smith Tower on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and Yesler Way, the Metropole building has laid vacant for over a decade. During that time, artists living and working in Pioneer Square have worked to combat the challenges posed by the empty space, reimagining the building’s facade as an “arts billboard.” This effort reinstated the building’s connection to the local arts community and greets passengers exiting the Pioneer Square light rail station at nearby Prefontaine Place.

 

In 2019, the Satterberg Foundation acquired the Metropole Building and began working to renovate and convert the 30,000 square foot building (and the adjacent Busy Bee Building) into “a community-centric home for nonprofit organizations, with an emphasis on those organizations who serve or are led by communities of color.” The building will also include a childcare center and feature a community arts collection developed in response to an open call for proposals from local artists. A renovated Metropole Building is expected to reopen for operations in summer 2024.