Metropolitan Building Company (Seattle, Wash.)

The Territorial University of Washington was established in 1861 on Denny's Knoll in Seattle, a 10-acre parcel of land donated by Arther A. Denny, Charles Terry and Edward Lander. In 1894, the University of Washingon relocated to its present site and the Board of Regents awarded a lease to develop and manage the Metropolitan Tract to James Moore, who transferred the lease to the Metropolitan Building Company in 1907. The property management company continued to administer the lease for the Metropolitan Tract for the next forty-seven years. The White, Henry, Stuart, Cobb, Douglas, Stimson and Skinner Buildings were constructed during this time, as were the Metropolitan Theatre and the Olympic Hotel and Garage. In 1953, the University signed a 35-year ground lease with University Properties (now Unico). The lease was later extended to 2014.