Parisian Pigeon?

No... it's a Bellingham bird.

Before my exercise class at the Y this morning, I walked over to the Mount Baker Theatre to buy tickets for a May 13 concert. The sun was out -- reason to rejoice! -- and I really enjoyed taking photos downtown of a wide range of subjects, but this one of the Bellingham Federal Building, and a longer view of the same building, were my favorites, because they reminded me of Paris.

Which shows how much I know about architecture -- not much.

According to the City of Bellingham website, the Federal Building is of the "Second Italian Renaissance Revival style." The front of the 1913 building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Washington State Historic Register, is also quite attractive.

The Federal Building has been owned by the City of Bellingham since 2004. According to a September 22, 2011 article in the Bellingham Herald, it may become an arts center, which would be a lovely transition for a beautiful old building.

(Thanks for all of the good wishes for my 200th blip! Even if the sun hadn't been out today, it would have been a wonderful day, thanks to you all.)