Paxson Fay is a full-service marketing and public relations firm specializing in the architecture, design, and arts industries.
Paxson Fay
4770 Ohio Ave S
Ste B
Seattle, WA 98134
info@paxsonfay.com
Miller Hull’s Populus Hotel on Galerie Magazine
Hotel of the Week: Populus Seattle Sustainably Revives a Pioneer Square Landmark
Following its buzzworthy debut in Denver, the hospitality brand’s second carbon-positive property anchors RailSpur with biophilic interiors by Curioso, a hearth-driven restaurant, and more than 300 works by local artists
Pioneer Square has long been a locus of transformation. Once a tidal marshland and later the heart of Seattle’s lumber boom, the downtown neighborhood blossomed into a creative community in the 1950s and ‘60s, when an influx of artists converted disused warehouses into studios and the nation’s first art walk took place. That legacy continues with the recent opening of Populus Seattle, a stylish carbon positive hotel that reinterprets hospitality through adaptive reuse, biophilic interiors, and a culinary program shaped by the bounty of the Pacific Northwest.
Developed by Urban Villages and managed by Aparium Hotel Group, the 120-room stay arrives as the brand’s second property following the 2024 debut of Populus Denver, a Studio Gang–designed tower whose rippling façade evokes the eye-shaped scars left when Colorado’s native aspen trees shed their branches. In Seattle, the narrative shifts from new construction to careful restoration, rooting the hotel in an early-20th-century factory that once manufactured plumbing parts. The Miller Hull Partnership, Curioso, and Site Workshop all joined forces to reimagine the dormant building, revealing its industrial character while adapting it for contemporary use. “When you repurpose something, it’s the best possible thing you could do for the planet,” Jon Buerge, president of Urban Villages, told Galerie on a recent tour. “The greenest building you could possibly build is one you don’t actually have to build at all.”
Populus Seattle is the latest development at RailSpur, an ambitious carbon positive microdistrict that links three contiguous historic structures through activated alleyways. (Its name references the train tracks that once threaded between the buildings.) Alongside the hotel, the complex includes an outpost of Sonder Suites and three soon-to-open restaurants from chef Renee Erickson’s Sea Creatures hospitality group: a brewery, a pizzeria, and a European-inspired dining room.
Guests arrive through a vestibule cosseted with native plants, where a ghost forest of imposing logs stands like sentinels of the site’s marshy origins. This reverence for place flows through Curioso’s atmospheric interiors, defined by reclaimed beams, original decking, and botanical motifs that coalesce into a mindful dance between city and forest. A sweeping pale wood staircase blanketed with flora guides guests upward to the mezzanine, where Salt Harvest, the signature restaurant, sits in a glass-clad solarium modeled after the district’s historic loading bays.
Guest rooms, meanwhile, range from artful kings with tall windows and exposed masonry to the rooftop Summit Suite, which offers a soaking tub, private terrace, and kitchenette. Interiors balance the rough-hewn texture of timeworn walls and timber joists with the polish of contemporary fixtures, bespoke furnishings, and Aesop toiletries. Generous windows pull daylight deep into the rooms, where it glances across stone and wood before opening onto views of Pioneer Square’s rooftops and the downtown beyond.
The hotel’s robust art program reinforces its neighborhood roots. More than 300 original works were commissioned on-site through local art production house ARTXIV, transforming corridors and guest rooms into a vivid gallery celebrating the Pacific Northwest’s landscapes and cultural heritage. “We looked deep into the archive of this land,” says Dominic Nieri, director of ARTXIV. “Historically, Pioneer Square was a creative district. We wanted to continue that legacy.” Rather than sourcing existing pieces, the curatorial team invited 35 local artists to create works on-site, with each painting made available for purchase to ensure the hotel’s collection continually evolves.
This curatorial spirit also spills into the hotel’s food and beverage program, led by Executive Chef Conny Andersson and Chef de Cuisine Jonathan De Paz. At Salt Harvest’s hearth-driven dining room, local seafood, meats, and produce are prepared with finesse over open fire. The menu leans into the region’s abundance: albacore with Hood Canal razor clams, Dungeness crab Louis with quail egg and pea tendrils, and Pacific Northwest halibut paired with pork belly and grilled lettuce. From the hearth, dishes like La Belle duck frites and Kurobuta pork chop with grilled stone fruit carry the elemental imprint of flame.
“Seattle is a chef’s dream,” says Andersson, a Swedish-born chef who spent decades shaping menus for properties under the Four Seasons and Six Senses umbrellas. “The Pacific Northwest has an unbelievable bounty. We’re focusing on letting those ingredients shine—pure, unpretentious, and deeply tied to place.” Guests can dine among native greenery in the solarium, inside two private dining rooms, or at a nine-seat chef’s counter facing the live-fire kitchen. On the same level, the Café at Salt Harvest serves coffee from area mainstay Monorail Espresso by morning and transforms into a cocktail lounge after-hours. Firn, the first rooftop bar in Pioneer Square, offers botanical-infused cocktails served against sweeping views.
Much like its predecessor in Denver, a rigorous sustainability strategy is integrated into every layer to ensure the hotel is carbon positive, meaning it will sequester more carbon in biomass and soil than it emits over its life cycle. Food waste is processed on-site through BioGreen360 biodigesters, transforming scraps into compost that returns to local farms. The building uses 100 percent renewable electricity and follows a strict Life Cycle Assessment to reduce and offset embodied and operational carbon. The brand’s One Night, One Tree program, established with the National Forest Foundation, plants one regional tree for every night a guest stays at the hotel.
“Our goal was really simple,” Buerge says. “We want to leave the planet in a better state than we found it and make nature the centerpiece of the experience. Climate change, at its most basic level, is humans distancing themselves from the outdoors. The best way to protect the environment is to experience nature.”
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meet the team
We’re inspired by diverse design perspectives, innovation, technology, art, and the world around us. We live for the chance to create and disperse powerful, genuine messages that resonate.
tessa franchini
principal
tessa@paxsonfay.com
Tessa graduated from Fordham University in New York with a dual bachelor's degree in Communications and Political Science. During her time at Fordham, she worked for an interior designer and at NBC News where she developed her love for both design and communications. After graduating, Tessa managed marketing at 3form, a pioneer in the sustainable building products industry. During her tenure, 3form was repeatedly named one of the most recognized manufacturers in the design industry among architects and designers, and the company won multiple awards for its innovative product launches. After 3form, Tessa consulted on marketing efforts with leading product manufacturers in architecture and design before starting Paxson Fay with Amy.
amy golden
principal
amy@paxsonfay.com
Originally from Seattle, Amy left her home in the Pacific Northwest to attend Fordham University, fulfilling her dream of living in New York City. After graduating with a BS in business administration, specializing in marketing and minoring in economics, Amy began her career in advertising sales at CNN and the Hallmark Channel in New York and LA. However, Amy’s love of writing, design, and connection with people ultimately led her to PR. While finishing her MBA back home at Seattle University, in 2015, Amy cofounded Paxson Fay with her friend and business partner, Tessa, driven by a shared vision to build a PR agency that reflected their values and passions. At Paxson Fay, Amy thrives in media relations and pitch development, enjoying the process of diving deep into each client’s story to craft compelling narratives that resonate with editors and journalists. Amy has a particular passion for architecture-focused projects, and securing SHED’s feature in The New York Times was an especially rewarding moment, as they were her first client. Another major career milestone was helping build out Paxson Fay’s talented team, fostering an environment where young professionals can grow their skills and pursue their passions. Outside of work, Amy loves spending time with her family, chasing after her two little boys, exploring Seattle’s restaurant scene, traveling with friends, and reading.
colby wood
senior account executive
colby@paxsonfay.com
After graduating from Fordham University in New York City with a major in Communications and Media Studies and a handful of marketing and PR internships, Colby moved to Boston to manage marketing for a small, women-owned, creative consulting agency. While in that role, Colby managed public relations and marketing efforts for some of Boston's most prominent events and public art initiatives, including the Boston Pickle Fair and The Bulfinch Crossing Projections in downtown Boston. Colby gained experience crafting brand stories and identities through social media marketing and creative copywriting, seen through the successful launch of a premier Massachusetts adult-use dispensary and the revamp of her agency's own website. After two years, Colby decided it was time to figure out what the West Coast was all about. Looking to blend her marketing experience with her passion for design and architecture, Colby found Paxson Fay, where she focuses on social media strategy and management and public relations.
paige childs
account executive
paige@paxsonfay.com
As a child, Paige wanted to be an architect; but after falling in love with storytelling, the power of words, and yes, the show West Wing, she decided to pursue journalism at The George Washington University in the nation’s capital. Following graduation, Paige crafted communications for the beauty and banking industries. Craving space for creativity, she joined the small team that would reopen the congressionally designated National Children’s Museum. There, she played an integral role in establishing the museum’s brand, bringing it to life across digital channels, including social media, email, and advertising. After nearly eight years in DC, she decided it was time for a change of scenery. Having grown fond of the title Washingtonian, she made the cross-country move to Washington State. She landed in Seattle at Paxson Fay, where in true full circle fashion she is the architect of social media and public relations strategies for our architecture and design clients.
martina povolo
account coordinator
martina@paxsonfay.com
Martina joined the Paxson Fay team as an intern when she was a senior at the University of Washington. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Interest Communications, Martina is now continuing with the team as a Communications Assistant. During her time at UW, Martina worked as the Special Sections Editor at the university’s newspapers where she won multiple awards for her front page spreads. Looking to blend her minors in real estate and environmental science with her focus in communications, Martina is passionate and excited to join the Paxson Fay team.
tara lyons
account coordinator
tara@paxsonfay.com
With roots in Napa and Denver, Tara ventured to the Pacific Northwest to pursue her academic journey at the University of Washington, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Education. Tara's love for writing began when she delved into songwriting, building on her pre-existing passion for singing and playing the piano. Following her undergraduate years, she returned to Paxson Fay, where she had previously interned, transitioning into the role of Communications Assistant. With a keen interest in PR and social media, Tara seamlessly integrates her creative flair into the professional realm. Outside of work, you'll find Tara passionately supporting the Kraken, embodying her love for both storytelling and sports.
We are hiring for our internship program! We are looking for an intern with a passion for design to help manage key communication channels. Click here to read more.
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what we do
We are a communications firm founded in our passion for good design. Our unique approach to marketing and public relations in the architecture and design community has elevated our clients work to the next level. We’re backed by a talented community of creatives. From copywriters to social media experts, we provide a complete package of customized services. We strive to create a personal experience with each client, integrating teams and tackling your biggest marketing and public relations challenges from a high level. Then we help execute those plans ensuring lots of reporting along the way, with lots of coffee breaks in between because we’re from Seattle and that’s what we do.
marketing
marketing strategy
brand strategy
project management
partnerships acquisition and management
e-mail blasts
public relations
media strategy
content production
media communications and outreach
awards: strategy, content development and submissions
social
platform strategy and management
content production
targeted campaigns
results + reporting
advertising
advertising strategy
budget strategy + negotiation
calendar management
creative coordination
content
storytelling
copywriting
website and e-mail marketing
video: sourcing, storyboarding and scheduling
photography acquisition + curation
events
event management
sponsorships + partnerships
tradeshow coordination
press tours
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clients
Here is a little taste of who we love to work with and what we love to do.
