THE SANCTUARY

Damaged in the Nisqually Earthquake, the city’s oldest downtown sanctuary just underwent a $40 million renovation.
Built in 1907, the preservation of the Sanctuary was a 25-year legal effort, when the building was ultimately saved by Daniels Real Estate from the demolition ball in March of 2008.

The Beaux Arts styling marked a significant departure from late nineteenth and early twentieth century American churches that were generally modeled after Gothic architecture. In 1907, the architecture was deemed to be “progressive” which was one of the design principles a century later for the innovative architecture of the adjoining F5 Tower.

Today much of the original space and feel is retained. The distance from the auditorium floor to the top of the dome still measures 66 feet, providing that same uplifting and inspirational experience that it was originally designed to encourage. Only now the meticulously refurbished building is an elegant venue space, with décor by the world-class designer Phillipe Stark