Seattle Mariners sign long-term lease for old Pyramid Brewery building, set to open summer 2022

Attention all lovers of beer and baseball: the Seattle Mariners announced Wednesday they have signed a long-term lease for the old Pyramid Brewery building located across from T-Mobile Park at 1201 1st Ave. S. 

The organization said in a news release that immediate plans for the new spot include a restaurant and “boutique brewpub” as well as an event space large enough to accommodate up to 800 people. There is also hope that as construction continues, space will become available for a community space designed to support businesses with women and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) ownership.

“By leasing and renovating the vacant property across from T-Mobile Park, we are investing in our neighborhood’s health and economic vitality," said Fred Rivera, Seattle Mariners executive vice president and general counsel. "Reactivating this prime property, which has been vacant since spring of 2020, will have long-term benefits for the immediate area and over time, as our plans continue to unfold, we hope to activate the space in ways that will provide economic opportunities and equitable outcomes for the broader community.” 

Current hospitality plans for the new venue include Steelheads Alley, a boutique brewpub with local brewer Rodney Hines. Hines is the co-founder and CEO of Métier Brewing, Washington’s first Black-owned brewery. Named for the Seattle Steelheads, the local team that played a single season in the West Coast Baseball Association of the Negro Leagues in 1946, the pub's decor will play tribute to the teams and players of the Negro Leagues.

The restaurant space, which has not yet been given a name, will be able to seat 250 diners. The concept is an upscale sports bar and grill with a Pacific Northwest-inspired menu. The menu will feature dishes with locally sourced ingredients, as well as craft brews from Métier Brewing, small-batch craft beers brewed onsite, and local Washington wines. 

The patio space formerly used for the Pyramid beer garden will remain an outdoor space designed for fun and will be open for events at T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field. Converted shipping containers will offer a wide variety of food and beverage options, and on non-game days, the dog-friendly space will host other events like movie nights and holiday celebrations.

The large indoor event space will be able to accommodate gatherings such as weddings, parties, and other community events. The 15,000-square-foot indoor warehouse will be transformed into a flexible event space with with high-end audio/visual systems and room for up to 800 people. Despite the modern touches — including large flat-screen TVs — the space will pay homage to its history, with a wall of exposed brick dating back to the building’s early days when it was constructed in 1914.

Future plans include repurposing the office space on the second and third floors of the building. The Mariners said in the release they hope to be able to provide a workspace for “small community nonprofits working to advance social and racial equity goals and programs that support women and BIPOC owned businesses" on a pro bono basis. 

The building was constructed by the Washington and Oregon Railway in 1914 as warehouse space for shipping tenants. In the mid-1950s, the space became a car dealership and garage. In 1995, it was purchased by Hart Brewing and became Pyramid Brewery and Alehouse, until pandemic-related economic issues forced its closure in May 2020.

The Mariners said it's projected opening date is June or July 2022.