Ballard Building

In 1927, a grand terracotta edifice rose in Ballard, christened the Ballard Building. This wasn’t just any building. It was a beacon of fraternal pride, built by the Ballard Eagles (Aerie 172). The Ballard Building quickly became a cornerstone of the community. It wasn’t just a meeting place for the Eagles. The building housed a variety of businesses, including restaurants and shops. The heart of the Ballard Building, however, was its basement. Here lay the Bagdad Theater, an opulent movie palace that rivaled downtown theaters in grandeur. Imagine a thousand seats draped in velvet, a mesmerizing multicolored dome overhead, and a magnificent 25,000-dollar Wurlitzer organ filling the air with music. Outside, fourteen giant floodlights announced the theater’s presence, beckoning Ballard residents to escape into the world of cinema. But the Ballard Building’s role didn’t stop at entertainment. In 1928, it became a hub for healthcare when Ballard General Hospital opened on the third floor. Doctors and dentists occupied the second floor, and Lafferty’s Drug Store conveniently served the community on the ground level. The hospital, with its 38 beds, operated with nurses providing primary care, while doctors were called in as needed. This arrangement continued until a community fundraising campaign resulted in a new hospital facility in 1954. The Ballard Building, designed by local architect F. J. Peters, showcases a Beaux Arts-Neoclassical style. Its cream-colored terracotta facade and prominent cornice make it a striking landmark on Market Street. Interestingly, Peters also contributed to the design of Seattle’s Paramount Theater around the same time. Eventually, the Ballard Building proved too large for the Eagles, who relocated during the Depression. The building transitioned to office space, and the Bagdad Theater was transformed into a nightclub. A penthouse was added to the fourth floor in the 1980s to house a medical clinic, marking a return to the building’s healthcare roots. The Ballard Building stands today as a testament to Ballard’s vibrant past, a place where entertainment, healthcare, and community life converged.