Irving R. Newhouse represented the fifteenth Legislative District for 34 years.  He served in the House of Representatives from 1965 to 1980 and in the Senate from 1980 to 1998.  During his tenure, he served as Senate Republican Floor Leader and Senate President Pro Tempore. 

In 1998 the Senate office building located at 215 Sid Snyder Avenue Southwest was named after Senator Newhouse upon his retirement.  This building was constructed in 1934 as a temporary structure and demolished in 2023.

A replacement building is currently under construction.  The replacement is part of the Legislative Campus Modernization project.  The building will be 60,000 square feet and have four stories.  The building will house several legislative offices, including Senate member offices, the joint Legislative Page School, and Ethics and Human Resources. 

The Legislature approves names for new buildings on the state capitol grounds based on recommendations from the State Capitol Committee and the Director of the Department of Enterprise Services.  A new building may be named after an individual who has played a significant role in Washington history, the purpose of the building, a significant place name or natural place in Washington, a Native American tribe located in Washington, a group or people or type of person, or an appropriate person recommended by the Director of the Department of Enterprise Services.

The State Capitol Committee and the Department of Enterprise Services, with the advice of the Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee, recommended that the new office building at 215 Sid Snyder Avenue Southwest retain the name "Irving R. Newhouse Building."

The new office building, located on the capitol grounds at 215 Sid Snyder Avenue Southwest, is named the "Irving R. Newhouse Building."