Tacoma Urbanist
Feb. 15, 2008 at 12:29am
Old City Hall Building Sold Again; What Now?
In the last two years, we have watched as the three historic downtown icons the Winthrop Hotel, Old City Hall and the Elks Temple struggle to find someone to renovate them. Old City hall is by far in the best conditions.
Will it be office space? I suspect so.
The thrid floor has been cleared out. I believe there are at least two tenants left in the building.
One day we are going to have to get the clocktower fixed. Its hard to claim downtown Tacoma is back on its feet when our city clock in our signature building is stuck forever at 3:17. One day Tacoma.
 by Jake on 2/15/2008 @ 7:54am | Wow that was fast. |
 by izenmania on 2/15/2008 @ 8:05am | I really hope that that actually turns into something. North Downtown is turning into something fairly awesome, and you'd think someone would be able to capitalize on that. |
 by KevinFreitas on 2/15/2008 @ 8:05am | It certainly is a stunning building. I really hope someone will breathe new life into it. Bringing back the Speakeasy or something similar would be fun, too. I sincerely hope they don't try for the condo thing again. Maybe some office condos instead. |
 by NineInchNachos on 2/15/2008 @ 8:49am | fix the clock! |
 by Erik on 2/15/2008 @ 12:56pm | I sincerely hope they don't try for the condo thing again. Maybe some office condos instead.
I suspect it will be office spaces. Gintz seems to be doing pretty well with office condos. fix the clock! Yes. Yes. Yes. 
Perhaps after we get the bridge lit up! (I see their clock was stuck at 10:04. Our is stuck at 3:17) |
 by morgan on 2/15/2008 @ 1:09pm | But if they fix the clock, then we'll have to find a new name for the Tacoma Eternal 3:17 Society... |
by NineInchNachos on 2/15/2008 @ 1:41pm | ha!
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by Erik on 2/16/2008 @ 8:57pm | But if they fix the clock, then we'll have to find a new name for the Tacoma Eternal 3:17 Society... Welcome to downtown Tacoma: the city with the broken clock. Our Old City Hall Clocktower is Tacoma's Big Ben The clock is famous for its reliability. This is due to the skill of its designer, the lawyer and amateur horologist Edmund Beckett Denison, later Lord Grimthorpe. As the clock mechanism, created to Denison's specification by clockmaker Edward John Dent, was completed before the tower itself was finished, Denison had time to experiment. Instead of using the deadbeat escapement and remontoire as originally designed, Denison invented the double three-legged gravity escapement. This escapement provides the best separation between pendulum and clock mechanism. Together with an enclosed, wind-proof box sunk beneath the clockroom, the Great Clock's pendulum is well isolated from external factors like snow, ice and pigeons on the clock hands, and keeps remarkably accurate time.   |
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