Melvin Edward Streeter, born on March 5, 1931, in Riverside, California, was a pioneering Black architect who left an indelible mark on Seattle’s architectural landscape. Raised in Riverside, Streeter was a talented athlete at Riverside Polytechnic High School, excelling in varsity football and basketball. In his senior year he was recruited by UCLA but declined the offer since they did not have an architecture program; Streeter’s lifelong dream as a child was to be an architect. When the University of Oregon offered him a full basketball scholarship and a chance to study architecture at the same time, he leaped at the chance and headed to Eugene, Oregon. While there he played hard in basketball. Various regional newspapers in the 1950s noted that the 6’4” tall Streeter was often a thorn in the side of his opponents. After college he continued his interest in sports and became active in local basketball and tennis leagues.

Upon graduating in 1954, Streeter dutifully fulfilled his United States Army ROTC commitment and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, stationed at Seattle’s Fort Lawton between 1955 and 1957. Unfortunately, segregation was still prevalent in Seattle. He and his Caucasian wife Kathy were denied housing at several locations. He also struggled to find work, applying to 22 architectural firms before finding someone willing to hire him. Eventually, Streeter learned the business, working for four different firms including Paul Hayden Kirk and Fred Bassetti.

With experience in hand, in a bold move, in 1967 he decided to start his own firm, Mel Streeter Architects. This decision made him the third African American to own an architectural practice in Seattle. His first project was a collaboration with the architectural firm of Wilmsen, Endicott & Unthank from Eugene, Oregon. The three partners were fellow University of Oregon graduates and DeNorval Unthank was a fellow Black architect. Together, in 1968 they designed a bank building for Liberty Bank (2320 E Union Street, demolished), the first Black-owned bank in Seattle. The bank’s mission was to support the Central District community, helping the neighborhood’s residents of color access capital to purchase homes and start businesses. Black residents made up to 80% of the bank’s original pool of stockholders.

Slowly other commissions followed. Many were community-based recreational projects such as the Bellevue Racquets Club (1968); the Lower Woodland Park Tennis Complex (1968); an expansion of the Jefferson Park Recreation Center (1970); and the Dr. Blanche Lavizzo Park (1972).

Streeter also designed a modest educational wing to St. Andrew Episcopal Church in Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood (1969); Evergreen Funeral Home (1971); assisted the Betsuin Housing Corporation with converting older apartment buildings into low-income housing units for the elderly (1971); played a pivotal role in the transformation of Chevra Bikur Cholim Synagogue (104 17^th Avenue S) into a multi-service community center, now known as Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (1972); and designed the Washington Mutual Savings Bank – Holly Park Branch (1973).

He also undertook an ambitious project of designing the Federal Aviation Administration Regional Headquarters (1973, demolished) at Boeing Field, notable for its distinctive Brutalist style. The project received the Washington Pre-cast Industry honor award (1976).

With his business expanding, in 1973 Streeter added a partner to his firm, Paul Dermanis, a former Bassetti employee. The firm was then renamed Streeter/Dermanis & Associates. Projects during this phase of his career included a new automobile dealer showroom for Nelson Chevrolet in Ballard (1973); the Totem Lake branch bank of the National Bank of Commerce (1973); and an office for Keller Plumbing & Supply Company (1974).

The partnership greatly expanded the capabilities of the firm, employing up to 30 people at its peak. This enabled the firm to handle larger and more diverse projects such as the Wallingford Post Office (1979); Auburn City Hall (1979); the Wisteria View low-income housing project (1979); an expansion of the Seattle First National Bank – Hadlock Branch (1981); Highpoint Community Center (1982); Bayview Manor addition (1982); Chancery Place Apartments (1983); Mason Apartments (1981); and the East-Central Precinct Police Station (1986).

For much of the 1980s, Streeter had a distinction he did not want; he was the only Black-led architectural firm in Seattle. Benjamin McAdoo, Seattle’s first Black architect, had passed away, and Leon Bridges had left the city to find a more fruitful location for his practice.

This fueled his commitment to mentoring and inspiring Black youth to pursue careers in architecture. A frequent guest lecturer in local high schools, Streeter co-founded the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle Chapter’s Diversity Roundtable. He also served on the AIA Board of Directors (1972) and received a Community Service Award from the AIA Seattle in 2004.

Streeter’s later legacy extended to major projects like the African American Academy (2000) for the Seattle School District; and CenturyLink Field, where he was part of the design team with architectural firms Ellerbe Becket and LMN Architects.

Other notable projects include Rainier Beach branch library (1981); a 65-unit housing project for Mount Zion Baptist Church (1998); the John Muir Elementary School (1991); an expansion of low-income elderly housing units for the Archdiocesan Housing Authority (1982); the Rainier Beach High School Performing Arts Center (1998); and the Naval Station Everett – Admin Building (1994).

Outside of architecture, Streeter was actively involved in a variety of organizations such as Tabor 100 (a professional Black men’s organization), the Breakfast Club of Seattle, and the Kiwanis Club. He also served on the Seattle Planning Commission for over a decade (1989-2000).

Streeter passed away at the age of 75 on June 12, 2006. He left behind a legacy of architectural innovation, community service, and a commitment to nurturing the next generation of architects, particularly among minority communities. His oldest son Doug, also became an architect and currently has his own firm in Seattle.

– Yashpriya Gupta & Michael C Houser