A new Kenmore hotel turns a historic seminary into high-end accommodations on Lake Washington.
By
Allison Williams
5/11/2021 at 9:30am
The Saint Edward Seminary was designed by John Graham Jr., father of the architect behind the Space Needle.
For years, the old seminary building in Kenmore s St. Edward State Park posed a strange conundrum. The 90-year-old facade is a stunning sight, five floors of romanesque revival architecture that demanded a huge influx of cash just to keep the building from crumblingâmoney the state park system couldn t spare. Designed by architect John Graham Sr. and used to educate priests for 46 years, it was sold it to the state for $7 million in 1977 and became a gem of a building no one could handle. On Friday, the solution finally materialized: a boutique-style hotel complete with a star chef restaurant and luxury spa.