We’re back again for the next installment of Stone Way Rising. The previous installments were heavy on the evo connection, and interestingly, the company will make an appearance again. The block stretching from 36th to 37th is long and packed with commerce so we’ll break it up into multiple parts. But before we start walking north from Stone Way Cafe, it’s time for a short history lesson.
The man behind the street
Heading north as we cross 36th, we’re entering C.P. Stone’s namesake plat that was filed in 1901. Local historian Valarie Bunn, who has been working to correct the historical record on Stone, described him as, “an early businessman, real estate investor, and civic activist of Seattle.” Stone came to Seattle in 1867, set up a general store, and became mayor in 1872. Back then, the job was unpaid and the term was just one year. He left abruptly in 1873 and the papers ran wild with rumors. The part that usually gets left out is that Stone came back and became one of Seattle’s most successful developers. He platted the Lake Union Addition, the Edgewater Addition, and this stretch of Stone Way.
According to Bunn, “Stone’s influence caused his nephew, Edward Corliss Kilbourne, to come to Seattle in 1883 where Kilbourne became one of the founders of the Fremont neighborhood in 1888.” He also helped bring the streetcar to Fremont, which led to the area becoming a transit hub and the “Center of the Universe.”
For more on Stone’s story, check out Casey McNerthney’s HistoryLink essay.
Bank of America (3601 Stone Way N)
This corner has been a bank since 1963 but before that it was a residential lot, according to Bunn. A house that faced 36th Street stood here from at least the 1930s but the date of its demolition is unknown. The bank building itself is documented in a Seattle’s landmarks presentation as an example of mid-century commercial architecture. The bank also has an adjoining parking lot and we’ve heard it’s closely monitored and quick to ticket if you haven’t paid your parking fee.
The Union Project Building (3617-3621 Stone Way N)
If you pull up Google Street View from the early 2000s, this stretch was Central Fabricators Inc, a sheet metal and HVAC supply shop. In 2015, Evolution Projects (the same group behind the Cornerstone and Fremont Collective down the street) renovated the property and renamed it the Union Project Building. Bryce Phillips, a partner at Evolution Projects, is also the founder of the outdoor brand, evo. As previously reported, Evolution Projects describes its work as “creating special places, rooted in our passion for building community.”
Sea Wolf Bakery (3617 Stone Way N)
Brothers Jesse and Kit Schumann started Sea Wolf in 2014 as a wholesale-only sourdough operation supplying local restaurants, and in 2016 they moved into the Union Project Building. Now they’re running a 4,000 square foot production space, supplying over 35 restaurants and cafés, roasting their own coffee in-house, and serving baked goods and drinks to patrons who use a courtyard that’s become one of Stone Way’s best hangouts.
Old Salt and Fish (3621 Stone Way N)
This spot was originally home to Manolin, a well-regarded restaurant that was part of the Union Project Building’s first wave of tenants. When the pandemic hit in 2020, chef Liz Kenyon pivoted Manolin’s seafood expertise into something casual that could survive the pandemic shutdown: a bagel-and-smoked-fish shop called Old Salt. Between the sourdough next door at Sea Wolf and the smoked salmon here, this corner of Stone Way smells yummy.
Stone Way Auto (3621 Stone Way N)
Also part of the former Central Fabricators property, this building dates back to 1953. An old photo on the Stone Way Auto website shows it in a previous life as a heating oil company. Current owner Ira Gerlich, also a partner at Evolution Projects, restored the old warehouse and turned it into a flexible, art-filled venue with a skylit entry, a pocket arcade, a penthouse lounge, and a rooftop deck.
Between the Cedar Speedster in lower Fremont, Fremont Collective and Cornerstone across the street, and the Union Project Building on the west side, Evolution Projects has quietly become one of the biggest shapers of Stone Way and Fremont’s current vibe. Wonder what they’ll do next?
From houses to hangouts
A century ago this stretch was houses and small lots on C.P. Stone’s freshly platted addition. Then came a bank and the trades. Now it’s sourdough, smoked fish, and nonprofit fundraiser galas in a restored warehouse. The buildings keep changing but the block is still serving neighbors.
Thanks to Valarie Bunn for her wonderful Fremont history research that makes stories like these possible!
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