Smith Tower (old-skyscraper quip)

Smith Tower opened in 1914 at 506 2nd Ave and was one of the earliest skyscrapers on the U.S. West Coast, remaining an iconic historic building in downtown Seattle. Its narrow, pre-war architecture and the preserved Chinese Room and observation deck contrast with modern glass towers, leading locals to joke that Smith Tower is the city's dignified 'grandparent' skyscraper. The building's historic elevators and century-old presence are frequent points of local humor about Seattle's architectural layers.