The skyscraper was proposed as early as 1981 under the preliminary name of "Sixth & Columbia Building" by developer Sixth and Columbia Associates under the lead of
Herman Sarkowsky and Delbert Belfoy. The site of the skyscraper was originally occupied by the 95-unit Doris and Breslin Apartments on the northeast quarter; the rest of the block, owned by the
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), included a small park and reversible express ramps to
Interstate 5 (I-5). Two office tower proposals were presented for the site in the
draft environmental impact statement: a 55-story one with of space on the site of the apartments; and a 65-story one with square feet of space on the northern half of the site, with the southern half occupied by a low-rise
parking garage and a
shopping arcade. The 65-story proposal
cantilevered over the I-5 ramps, requiring the developer to lease the
air rights of the ramps from WSDOT; it also included a
skyway across Columbia Street to the
Seafirst Fifth Avenue Plaza Building. The city purchased the property during a downturn in the economy, citing recommendations from two panels: the citizens' group, Capital Finance Review Board, which concluded that purchasing the building would cost a minimum of $47 million less than constructing new facilities and a minimum of $121 million less than renovating existing city facilities; and the Citizens Advisory Panel, which concluded that the building "(met) the great majority of the city's space needs." The building is attached to the
Seattle Civic Center complex and is owned by the city. It houses several government offices including the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections,
Seattle City Light,
Seattle Public Utilities, the Department of IT, Human Services Department, and the Office of Economic Development. The
Seattle City Council and offices of the
Mayor of Seattle are located in the nearby
Seattle City Hall. == Design ==