The unusual architecture and layout of Bastyr’s building are due to its origins as St. Thomas Seminary, a Catholic seminary run by the Sulpicians, a teaching order of priests. An order of nuns, known as the Little Sisters of St. Joseph, also lived here. In 1977, the seminary closed and the facility became St. Thomas Center, a full-time conference and retreat center that also served the parish of St. John Vianney.

Bastyr University purchased the campus from the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle in fall 2005, after leasing the space for many years. While the church no longer uses the building, its legacy as a sacred space is still felt in the serenity of its surroundings.

The energy of dedicated discipline, the spirit of purpose and the excitement of learning are a legacy that Bastyr University has built upon since leaving its Seattle location to occupy this larger site in 1996.