Then and Now: Culmstock Arms

One of Spokane’s most dignified apartment blocks, the Culmstock Arms, was erected by Walter M. Clist, who was construction supervisor on the Davenport Hotel in 1914 and general contractor on the Fox Theater starting in 1927.

Clist started Culmstock Investment and Finance Company to sell $140,000 in bonds paying 6.5% to kick-start the apartment project, which would eventually cost $265,000 to complete.

Clist told the Spokane Chronicle, “We feel that Spokane is entering on a substantial period of growth and we hope to develop other properties in this city during the next five years.”

The Culmstock is a four-story-plus-basement brick apartment block decorated with terra cotta tile accents. The design was by prolific architect Harold C. Whitehouse, who also designed the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and many other churches, homes and commercial buildings. The Culmstock had 63 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with a garage attached that could house 31 cars. Public laundry facilities were in the basement.

Clist bought new electric ranges from Washington Water Power company for all of the kitchens in the building. Every apartment had steam heat, hot and cold water, electric lights and power, electric stoves and telephones. Walter Clist, builder and owner, said that “if there is anything more to be added to make the Culmstock Arms modern in every sense of the word, we would like to hear of it.”

The Culmstock added to the promising development around Sacred Heart hospital and the Washington Street arterial. Standard Oil had just bought adjacent property and Standard’s local manager W.M. Thomson said, “We value the corner not only because it is on a traffic artery, but because of the class of people who pass it, a class from whom we draw a large amount of our trade.”

Almost all of the Culmstock units were leased before the building was completed.

A single rooftop apartment, featuring five rooms with unobstructed city views, was first rented by Dr. Arnold Pederson, a dentist, and his wife, Betty. Many doctors and hospital employees have lived at that address.

The neighborhood has other notable apartments nearby, including the Cambridge Court, Breslin, Kempis and the Knickerbocker.

Clist, born around 1880, was originally from Portland but was based in Seattle. Clist retired and moved to Laguna Beach, California, in 1943 and died at the age of 72 in 1952.