TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR NEW SMITH TOWER TOURS
AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE
“The Legends of Smith Tower” tour provides interactive view into Seattle’s
history along with new amenities, food and beverage offerings and private
event spaces
Seattle, Wash. (August 4, 2016) – Unico Properties, a Seattle-based real estate
investment and operating company, has announced that tickets are now on sale for the new
tour and visitor experience at Smith Tower, reopening to the public on August 25. Presale
tickets can be purchased at www.smithtower.com. Be one of the first to experience “The
Legends of Smith Tower” self-guided tour celebrating the iconic building’s history and
architecture. This tour provides a fascinating and humorous introduction to Seattle through
the lens of the city’s first skyscraper.
“We are thrilled to revitalize and re-energize Seattle’s first skyscraper from the
ground floor to the Observatory, bringing an exciting and captivating experience to tourists,
tenants and visitors at Smith Tower,” said Scott Brucker, vice president of Unico
Properties. “From interactive tours that will educate and honor the history of this iconic
building and Seattle, to unparalleled, 360-degree views of the city from a beautiful new
Observatory, we’re honored to reintroduce this 1914 landmark.”
The interactive tour was designed and developed by the San Francisco office of
Gallagher & Associates, an internationally recognized museum planning and design firm.
The firm gathered valuable research on the unique history of both building and city creating
an engaging tour for visitors to explore and uncover fascinating details about Smith Tower’s
storied past through various historical settings and interactive experiences.
The original space on the 35th floor, formerly known as the Chinese Room, is
currently in the final stages of renovation and will now be known as the Smith Tower
Observatory, home to Smith Tower Temperance café and bar. The Observatory will feature
original elements of the historic Chinese Room space including the ornate ceiling tiles, the
famed Wishing Chair and other artifacts that pay homage to the vibrant past life of this
space and the memories shared by visitors over the years.
Temperance, a speakeasy-style concept, will serve a menu inspired by Prohibition
and Smith Tower’s historical Asian influence. Visitors will find a menu composed of light fare
including seasonal bites, banh mi sandwiches, a raw oyster bar and craft cocktails
celebrating the building and the Observatory’s roots. Each visitor will be whisked up to the
top of the tower in the historic Otis elevators where they will take in 360-degree views of
Seattle from the exhilarating open-air observation deck.
Beginning August 25, Smith Tower will offer two new tour and viewing experiences for
tourists, tenants and visitors:
•
The Legends of Smith Tower. A perfect starting point for new visitors to discover
Smith Tower, this 40-minute, self-guided, interactive tour highlights historic
artifacts and stories about Seattle through the lens of this historic building,
navigating visitors through back rooms and secret nooks. Combining interesting
facts and lore with sprinkles of humor and intrigue, this tour makes for a great
experience at any age. As you are transported back in time through your tour
experience, additional highlights include stunning, 360-degree views of Seattle
from the 35th floor Observatory and open-air viewing deck and access to the
speakeasy-inspired Temperance café and bar as well as historic exhibits available
only to guests visiting the Observatory. Adults: $19.14; children ages 5-12:
$14.00; seniors over 65 and military with ID: $17.00. The Legends of Smith
Tower tour runs every ten minutes beginning at 10 a.m. every day, with ticket
sales ending at 5:30 p.m. and tours ending by 6 p.m. daily.
•
Straight Up. The ideal option for those who want direct access to breathtaking,
360-degree views of Seattle via the Observatory and open-air viewing deck. With
ticket purchase, visitors are granted access to Temperance café and bar, as well
as historic exhibits available in the Observatory. All ages: $10.00. Straight Up
tickets are available in limited quantities from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
Launching this winter, Smith Tower will offer an additional interactive tour experience:
•
The Bootleg King. An enhanced, self-guided role-playing tour that builds on the
Legends of Smith Tower tour and grants access to additional intrigue and
participation. Ideal for new and return visitors to Smith Tower, the tour is
grounded in mystery, clues and discovery, all tethered to the scintillating story of
Roy Olmstead, Seattle’s rum-running Bootleg King during the Prohibition era. This
tour includes all features of The Legends of Smith Tower tour, and is enhanced
with special clues that unlock additional mysteries and exclusive access to secret
drinks for all ages from Temperance café and bar.
Another new amenity located on the ground floor is Smith Tower Provisions, a general
store stocked with all the essentials for tenants and visitors. Provisions will offer sweet
treats at the soda fountain including nostalgic favorites like floats with all-natural Full Tilt Ice
Cream, as well as grab n’ go fare at the deli counter. If you’re in need of a last-minute gift or
maybe a dozen eggs, Provisions will feature a curated retail store filled with locally inspired
gifts, art, apparel and grocery staples like milk and fresh flowers.
In addition to dynamic tours and Northwest-inspired food and beverage offerings,
Smith Tower is the perfect setting for meetings, events, intimate weddings and celebrations.
Indoor and outdoor spaces on multiple floors combine to provide more than 4,500 square
feet of event space, ideal for the party planner or host looking for a cosmopolitan venue that
offers unparalleled views of Seattle in bustling Pioneer Square.
Smith Tower opened in 1914 as the first skyscraper in Seattle and tallest building
west of the Mississippi. Located just steps from the picturesque downtown waterfront, Smith
Tower has stood as a Northwest cultural icon for more than 100 years, delighting visitors
and maintaining its status as a premier office space for companies of all sizes and
industries.
Smith Tower will officially open to the public on Thursday, August 25, at 10 a.m. For
more details and to purchase tickets, visit http://smithtower.com.
About Smith Tower
Smith Tower opened in 1914 as the first skyscraper in Seattle and one of the tallest
buildings in the world, standing 522 feet high. Located in the heart of Pioneer Square,
Smith Tower offers guests an immersive experience in one of the oldest cultural icons of the
city. Interactive tours and exhibits take guests and tenants on a journey through the past
100 years of the tower’s existence. The Observatory offers 360-degree views of Seattle, an
open-air observation deck, a breathtaking venue for hosting special events, and Prohibitioninspired fare and libations with an Asian twist at Temperance café and bar. On the ground
floor, guests are invited to enjoy Provisions general store, offering curated gifts, a soda
fountain, deli counter and ticket sales. Smith Tower has remained an office building since
opening in 1914 and offers 33 floors of leasing space. Smith Tower is owned and managed
by Unico Properties LLC, and the hospitality experiences are managed by Columbia
Hospitality. For more information, please call 1-877-412-2776 or visit www.smithtower.com.
About Unico Properties LLC
Unico Properties LLC is a real estate investor and full-service operator focused on office and
multifamily assets in the Western United States. For more than 60 years its investors and
partners have relied on Unico for its local knowledge, institutional rigor and boutique
service, which consistently deliver results. Founded in 1953, Unico is headquartered in
Seattle, Wash. Unico is a proven operating partner. With more than 10 million square feet of
LEED-certified properties, the company is a leader in sustainable best practices, developing
and managing some of the world’s highest performing green buildings, and transforming
the built environment. For more information about Unico, please visit the firm’s website at
www.unicoprop.com.
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M EDIA CONTACTS
Joleen Zanuzoski
Public Relations, GreenRubino for Smith Tower
P: 206-452-8189
E: [email protected]
Erica Perez
Perez Public Relations for Unico Properties
P: 503-249-0459
E: [email protected]