Located on a prominent corner in Bellingham’s historic Fairhaven District, the Rocket Building draws its inspiration from the Art Deco style popularized in the 1920’s. The design intent was to be unique but respectful of its neighbors using time-honored design elements such as articulated stone and masonry, tall retail spaces at street level, deep-set windows, cornice detailing, and an overall harmony of scale. It is now home to several Bellingham-owned retail and restaurant business.
The design is a departure from traditional urban retail buildings, where siting gravitates toward maximizing the building area. Instead, the Rocket Building, which is on an incline, sets back from the property line in a stairstep configuration that works its way down the hill allowing for a variety of both retail vendors and seating areas while creating a more immersive pedestrian environment. In addition, this layout combined with its corner location draws people around the entire building creating one continuous experience.