[3][11] Real estate investor Richard Nimmer bought the property in 1975, and pursued several unsuccessful attempts at renovating and selling the Eitel Building for various uses, including apartments, offices, and a hotel.

[12] The Eitel Building became regarded as an "eyesore", owing to its highly trafficked location near Pike Place Market,[13] with boarded windows, a rotting roof, and a pigeon infestation.

[15] The building also suffered damage during the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, including the separation of a brick wall from the roof, which was repaired but dissuaded potential buyers.

[11] The proposal drew the ire of condominium owners in Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue, who would lose their views if the tower was built, and preservationist groups that sought a landmark designation for the building.

[20] The renovation will convert the building into a 90-room hotel, adding an eighth floor, completing seismic upgrades, and refinishing the terra cotta exterior.