TDI -- Reporter's Blog
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Feb. 2, 2010 at 7:57am
New Pac Ave Retailer
Verizon on the Horizon
I spotted this on the way to Tacoma Daily Index 'world headquarters' this morning . . .
That's 919 Pacific Avenue (next to Pita Pit). One less vacant storefront along Pacific Avenue.
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Jan. 8, 2010 at 12:41pm
A New Link Light Rail Station?
Tacoma's Link light rail passes along Commerce Street between South 11th and 12th Streets on Wednesday.
A note in Tacoma City Manager Eric Anderson's weekly report Dec. 31 caught my eye:
The Public Works Department reports that staff is designing a stop for the light rail system that will be located in the block between 11th and 12th. The additional rail stop is expected to cost about $135,000 and be completed by May 2010.
This week, I tracked down City Hall / Sound Transit staff familiar with the plan for a short article that appears on the Tacoma Daily Index Web site today.
City engineer and assistant public works director Jim Parvey told me engineers from the Public Works Department met with Sound Transit representatives last spring to walk the affected rail line and discuss the idea. Plans have been drawn up for the station. "It's just a simple design at this point," said Parvey. "It does not show any architectural treatment."
Sound Transit spokesperson Andrew Schmid told me, "Last year, the City asked us for some assistance to look at the feasibility of an additional city-funded Tacoma Link stop in between Convention Center and Theater District stations. If Tacoma decides to pursue the possibility of an additional stop, Sound Transit will work with the City and other affected parties to explore options and any construction and service implications."
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Dec. 8, 2009 at 2:15pm
Lakewood Police Memorial
Photos from the Dome District
I was in the Dome District earlier today to photograph the procession of law enforcement officers attending this afternoon's memorial for the four Lakewood police officers killed Nov. 29. Here are some photos from a somber scene outside the Tacoma Dome . . .
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Dec. 4, 2009 at 11:00am
THS Downtown Exhibit Center RIP
I was sorry to learn this morning the Tacoma Historical Society will close its downtown exhibit center later this month. According to an e-mail from long-time THS member Dale Wirsing, the organization will consolidate its operations at its Cedar Street location. THS cited the current financial downturn for the decision. The current exhibit, "From Ruins to Renaissance: The Architecture of Downtown Tacoma," will run through Dec. 12. After that, the center (located on Broadway) will close.This is bad news for anyone interested in local history. I have been consistently impressed with THS's fascinating exhibits (vintage postcards, mosquito fleets, passenger trains, downtown architecture). I always looked forward to visiting the exhibit center because it meant another opportunity to interview and write about some interesting people and their collections.
Here are some recent TDI features on the exhibit center:
-- Ahoy, History Buffs! City's role in century-old shore leave focus of new Tacoma Historical Society exhibit (PDF)
-- Building History: THS exhibit celebrates downtown Tacoma's architectural icons (PDF)
-- Long Distance Memories: A lifelong, photographic tour through Tacoma's passenger train history (PDF)
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Nov. 20, 2009 at 11:35am
Murray Morgan Bridge Update
Anyone following the ups and downs of saving the Murray Morgan Bridge would be interested to know Tacoma is inching closer toward taking ownership (again) of the 96-year-old structure that spans Thea Foss Waterway and connects downtown Tacoma to the tide flats.
The State took ownership of the bridge in the 1990s while it constructed State Route 509 from Interstate 705 to Milwaukee Avenue. According to an earlier agreement, the State agreed to return the bridge back to the City once SR 509 was completed. After years of deferred maintenance and neglect, the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic Oct. 23, 2007, due to safety concerns raised by Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) inspectors. In 2008, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation included the bridge on its annual list of Most Endangered Properties. It was also added to Historic Tacoma's 'Watch List.'
During yesterday's Tacoma City Council environment and public works committee meeting, a turn-back agreement between Washington State and City of Tacoma garnered much interest. I wrote an article about the agreement (which needs to be reached by January 2010) and yesterday's meeting for today's edition of the Tacoma Daily Index.
Click here to read the article.
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Nov. 18, 2009 at 2:40pm
Tis The Season
I stepped outside this afternoon for a break and saw this guy across the street from Tacoma Daily Index world headquarters . . .
Someone (the BIA? Downtown Merchants Group? City Hall?) has started to decorate downtown Tacoma. These folks were hanging lights on a tree in Frost Park . . .
Ditto outside the Pantages Theater, just in time for the annual holiday tree lighting later this month . . .
And this guy doesn't blink, no matter how hard you try . . .
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Nov. 10, 2009 at 1:50pm
Biden @ Hotel Murano (Take Two)
Let's try this again
I stopped by the Hotel Murano this morning around 11:30 a.m. Just in time, it turns out, to see Vice President Joe Biden leave the hotel and head to Fort Lewis. I joined a huge group of Bank of New York Mellon employees outside their office, located across the street from the hotel, and waited about 15 minutes before we heard a cop yell 'He's ready!' to a team of motorcycle cops and we were under way.I'm guessing better photos of VP Biden will soon trickle onto the Feed, but I thought I would share these.
Biden takes a side-door exit to his waiting limousine.
Putting something in the trunk? I don't know.
Heading out onto Broadway, I-5, and Fort Lewis.
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Nov. 9, 2009 at 9:00am
Endangered Locally, Recognized Nationally
National Trust for Historic Preservation seeks nominations
Luzon Building, RIP
Demolition of the 1890s Luzon Building in September has left many Tacomans wondering how the building could have been saved, what lessons can be learned from the destruction, and what other historic buildings run the same risk.
If you have similar concerns, you should know that the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) is accepting nominations to its 2010 'America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places' list. According to the NTHP, in the past two decades of the program, only seven listed sites have been lost. Nominations are due on Fri., Jan. 8, 2010. The 2010 list will be announced on Weds., May 19, 2010.
More info is here and here.
Are you stumped for Tacoma nominations? Historic Tacoma's 'Watch List' is a good start. Are you stumped for Washington State nominations? The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has its own list.
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Nov. 5, 2009 at 9:35am
Downtown Spaces for Tacoma Notables
Harry P. Cain Promenade (left) and Ben Gilbert Park (right)
The City of Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved recommendations Oct. 29 to name two areas downtown after a couple late, notable Tacomans.
First, the LPC approved a recommendation to name a pedestrian section of Broadway Plaza between South 13th Street and South 15th Street (basically between the Hotel Murano and the convention center) after the late military serviceman, U. S. Senator, and Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain. Cain has a Wikipedia entry that would inspire one of R. R. Anderson's Tacomics. In LPC documents, his biographer, who supported the nomination along with Cain's daughter, writes of Cain's one term in the U.S. Senate as a period when he "talked too much, listened too little, and failed to always represent the best interest of his constituents."
Second, the pocket park adjacent to City Hall is slated to be named after the journalist and preservationist Ben Gilbert. According to an obituary published March 1, 2007, in the The Washington Post, Gilbert worked at the Post for 30 years. In addition to being "a tough and exacting" city editor, he was also deputy managing editor and associate editor of the editorial page. "He was a hard man to love, but he was a hell of a newspaperman," said Benjamin C. Bradlee, managing editor of the Post, in the obituary. Bradlee and Gilbert often clashed in the newsroom, but Bradlee added, "He got things done."
Gilbert also served on Tacoma's LPC. A fund-raising effort is under way for a 6' x 28' mural depicting thousands gathered in Ledger Square on Oct. 10, 1926 for the latest World Series results, and two panels that provide narratives on the photo depicted, as well as Gilbert's biography. For more information, including how you can contribute to the project, click here.
Tacoma Daily Index coverage is here (Cain) and here (Gilbert)
Tacoma City Council is expected to take final action on these items at an upcoming council meeting.
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Nov. 3, 2009 at 9:10am
Downtown Space Available
I really like LeRoy Jewelers' sense of humor.
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Oct. 20, 2009 at 1:00pm
Boring Campaign Signs 101
Last name in bold red letters? Check.The word 'Mayor' in bold blue letters? Check.
Plain white background? Check.
Too bad Tacoma doesn't have any talented artists, illustrators or graphic designers who could have helped these folks.
Oh . . . wait a minute . . .
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Oct. 19, 2009 at 9:40am
Pierce County's History Detectives
Earlier this month, I spent some time with Susan Johnson and Katie Chase, two architectural historians at Tacoma-based Artifacts Consulting -- a firm commissioned by the county this year to survey historic sites in Pierce County.The results will be compiled in a database that will be available to historians, educators, researchers, and the general public online via the Pierce County Library System by next year. More than simply a list of old buildings, Artifacts is creating a sort of Pierce County biography.
"We're telling much more of the story of Pierce County," Johnson told me. "So when we talk about mining or logging, we will have pictures from then and from now to show what that history looked like. We want to know how everything relates. Ideally, our report will show the interconnection, the relationships, between communities and land uses, and who settled here along with Native Americans. Basically, it will show how Pierce County developed."
For the past two months, Johnson and Chase have headed out into the field four days a week to conduct their work -- they shoot photographs and compile data on old barns, buildings, farms, and mining settlements, and speak with long-time locals and historians about the areas they survey. Two weeks ago, Johnson and Chase allowed me to tag along with them as they did survey work in Alderton, Electron, Graham, Kapowsin, McMillin, and Orting.
An article I wrote about the experience was published in Thursday's edition of the Tacoma Daily Index. If you are interested in reading it, click here (Web) and here (PDF).
Here are some photos from the experience . . .
Architectural historians Katie Chase and Susan Johnson
Susan photographs an old farmhouse just outside Sumner
The team meets Pierce County Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commissioner Bob Peters to discuss historic sites in Orting
Bob, Susan and Katie walk along the Puyallup River levee in search of old flood drift barriers
Graham resident and historian Lawrence D. "Andy" Anderson describes Kapowsin's early years to Chase and Johnson
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Oct. 16, 2009 at 3:05pm
TDI Mail Bag III
A couple months have passed since we cracked open the TDI Mail Bag. Here are a couple interesting items that landed on my desk this week at Tacoma Daily Index 'world headquarters.'First, much has been written about Pacific Plaza's renovation. But the shiny, image-shifting postcard invitation to BLRB's open house Oct. 28 creatively makes the point . . .
Second, I received Sacred Spaces: Tacoma's Historic Sacred Spaces -- a publication that is a collaboration of Historic Tacoma and local historic preservation consultant Caroline T. Swope.
The booklet documents 30 of Tacoma's 170 pre-1970s churches recently identified by Historic Tacoma and Swope's Kingstree Studios as part of a survey commissioned by the City of Tacoma. It is timed with the Sacred Spaces Open House & Tour on Oct. 25.
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Oct. 9, 2009 at 4:20pm
Invisible Ink Downtown
This was the picture in April . . .
This was the picture yesterday . . .
This is the picture today . . .
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Oct. 8, 2009 at 4:22pm
PHOTOS -- Downtown Bank Robbery
Here are some quick photos from the downtown bank robbery / bomb investigation near 9th and A Street . . .
Pacific Avenue between 9th and UWT is a mess. A helicopter is overhead.
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Sep. 30, 2009 at 9:20am
The Notes of Spanish Steps
Anyone who has dared to visit downtown Tacoma's 93-year-old Spanish Steps in recent weeks might have noticed a curious feature: an array of personal notes and messages scrawled on the columns, decorative urns and pedestals. At first glance, it is nothing more than graffiti. But a closer inspection shows these messages say much about the lost, hidden, and neglected nature of the steps.Is it art? Is it a cry for help?
It's hard to tell.
Here are some samples . . .
"Tacoma has you and me, with our memories seeping at the seams"
"Art Lives in T-Town"
"Unwanted / Unloved"
"You Just Entered the Junkie Zone"
According to City Hall, the shoddy patchwork and years of deferred maintenance could be addressed soon (of course, that was the story two years ago). The Spanish Steps are in store for a $1.3 million rehabilitation. A time-line for the project (which is current, according to one city engineer I reached this week) is here.
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Sep. 24, 2009 at 11:20am
Downtown's Lost Block
Archived photos show Pac Ave's erased history
When the Luzon Building is knocked down this weekend, it will be a significant loss to Tacoma's architectural history. It will also mark the loss of yet another old building that once comprised a stretch of Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. In the five years I've been at the Tacoma Daily Index, I've heard from many people about all the other old buildings along Pac Ave (and surrounding the Luzon) that were torn down.This week, the Index was made aware of photographs documenting some of this activity during the 1980s. The photographs appeared online yesterday and will be published in our print edition Friday. They offer a fascinating look at downtown and Pacific Avenue -- near the Luzon -- in earlier years. They also appear to complement the amazing work done by Stephen Cysewski.
The four photographs come to the newspaper thanks to Ken House (a former archivist at Weyerhaeuser, a former member of Historic Tacoma's Board of Directors, and currently a commissioner on the City of Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission) and with permission from Megan Moholt, Research Archivist at Weyerhaeuser. The photographs were taken by Columbia Cornerstone Development Company (Photo Collection 2008-7), courtesy of Weyerhaeuser Archives.
Links to the photos/article are here (PDF) and here (WEB).
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Sep. 22, 2009 at 2:35pm
13th and Pacific
Celebrating Pacific Plaza, Losing Luzon
I went down to the corner of 13th and Pacific this morning to check out the Pacific Plaza ribbon-cutting ceremony. I have to admit that a certain local cartoonist's idea of this morning's event was in the back of my mind, but everything was par for the course . . .Shiny and new Pacific Plaza . . .
Let me guess, Mr. Mayor. Tacoma is 'on a roll' . . .
The scissors actually work . . .
All of this was familiar territory considering the Index toured the building three weeks ago.
Meanwhile, preparations were being made across the street for the Luzon's looming destruction . . .
If you want to tag or paste any guerrilla art on the Luzon, you will have to get past this guy . . .
Is it just me, or does this tractor driver seem kind of anxious to get things started . . . ?
It's official -- the 'For Lease' sign has been discarded . . .
Finally, Mt. Tahoma will be visible from here come next week . . .
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Sep. 15, 2009 at 1:37pm
City Set to Demolish Luzon
. . . the article will be updated as the study session continues.
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Sep. 15, 2009 at 10:00am
The Luzon Building's Blank Canvas
Most people know the old Luzon Building downtown is in an unprecedented state of urban decay. But at least guerrilla artists have found a use for it. This morning I noticed these signs posted on the street closure barricades . . .
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Sep. 3, 2009 at 3:35pm
Downtown Mini Photo Safari (Part III)
A couple months have passed since the last Downtown Mini Photo Safari. I've cleaned out the camera before the long Labor Day weekend. Here goes . . .Spotted on the bus yesterday . . .
Some of the loot recovered at the Spanish Steps during a recent neighborhood clean-up with Safe Streets and some Winthrop residents . . .
No comment needed . . .
There is a new (to me at least) barber shop at the Courtyard By Marriott downtown . . .
The only non-Tacoma photo in the mix. I actually shot this in Portland in July. It never fails to make me laugh . . .
Two outtakes from the two-part feature on Pacific Plaza . . .
Two signs of the times . . .
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Sep. 2, 2009 at 12:30pm
PHOTOS -- Pacific Plaza Tour
Inside/Outside Tacoma's innovative downtown high-rise
I received an invitation last week from the folks at BLRB Architects to tour their new headquarters in the recently renovated Pacific Plaza Building (1250 Pacific Ave.).As you may recall, the building was formerly known as Park Plaza South -- a crumbling, decades-old building that fit right in with the Luzon Building across the street. Not anymore. After my 90-minute tour of BLRB's seventh-floor offices, the vacant eighth floor, the not-creepy-anymore garage and stairwell, and the green roof, I have to say this building is impressive. Visitors will require a good deal of convincing to believe the old garage once occupied this spot. It will require even more convincing to believe the parking garage was never torn down. What stands there today seems more like a magic trick than a $30 million building renovation.
A few notes from the tour:
- Two tenants have signed leases for space on the eighth floor: (a.) an office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (13,000 square feet) and (b.) Grantmaker Consultants (3,000 square feet). BLRB (20,000 square feet) and PCS (15,000 square feet) have already moved in on the seventh floor;
- Aspiring architects take note: BLRB has a fancy break room with a snack bar, fridge w/bottled beer, a flat screen television, and a Wii. A barbecue sits on the nearby deck;
- In BLRB's headquarters, unique beam designs allow for fewer columns, and walls are angled in such a way to provide sweeping views inside/outside the office;
- It's strange to look at Tacoma's skyline from behind tall wildflowers;
- There are lots of bees on the green roof.
***UPDATE*** Links to the follow-up feature on the rooftop garden are here and here.
The tour covered much ground. I took more photos than I could possibly fit in the print edition (or on our clunky Web site). I've decided to post photos of our tour to the TDI blog. Many thanks to BLRB's Kelie Kahler, Dave Pool, Ben Ferguson, and Thomas Bates for making the visit possible. Enjoy!
I. Welcome to BLRB Architects
BLRB Senior Associate Dave Pool provided a tour of the firm's new headquarters
Lots of space for creativity. Notice an innovative use of cellular steel beams allow for fewer view-blocking columns.
A huge conference room.
II. Let's Step Outside For Fresh Air
A two-level deck offers great views of the Foss and Mount Rainier (on a clear day). There's a barbecue tucked away back there.
The old Luzon Building across the way.
III. It's Break Time
Snack bar? Check. Fridge? Check. Wii? Check.
IV. Heading Upstairs To The Soon-To-Be-Leased 8th Floor
The DEA and Grantmakers Consultants will move in here.
Skylights provide natural light.
V. Let's Head Upstairs To The Rooftop Garden
Wells Fargo Tower and the skyline from behind the wild flowers and atop Pacific Plaza.
BLRB Associate Ben Ferguson is the go-to guy for questions about the green roof, including an innovative irrigation system (below).
Here is the view from TDI 'world headquarters.'
VI. A Final Post-Tour Shot of Pacific Plaza
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Aug. 28, 2009 at 4:10pm
Bye-Bye Hill Climb
Ongoing construction of Pacific Plaza near 12th/13th St. and Pacific Avenue has meant the 12th Street hill climb connecting Pac Ave to Commerce has been alternately opened and closed. Today I noticed the hill climb is once again closed, and the wrecking crew has arrived . . .
I understand there used to be an escalator in that big empty maw on the right. One design plan has the hill climb looking like this . . .
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Aug. 24, 2009 at 4:22pm
Update -- Tacoma's Green Skyline
I noticed earlier this morning that the Pacific Plaza rooftop is starting to take shape. I shot a photograph and then saw Kevin posted a comment asking for an update. Here is how it looks today . . .
I wish I had a better lens. There are actually tall purple plants now . . .
Come to think of it, I wish I knew something (anything!) about plants/flowers. Anyone?
To recap: this is what it looked like in JANUARY (not June, my mistake) . . .
Come to think of it, I wish I knew something (anything!) about plants/flowers. Anyone?
To recap: this is what it looked like in JANUARY (not June, my mistake) . . .
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Aug. 21, 2009 at 4:00pm
The Winthrop's Serial Arsonist
While working on this series over the past few months, most Winthrop residents I interviewed told me the biggest annoyance associated with living in the former historic hotel at Ninth and Commerce downtown is dealing with an anonymous person who repeatedly prank-pulls the fire alarm. The alarm forces residents out of the building (usually in the middle of the night), the Tacoma Fire Department responds only to learn there is no fire, and everyone files back inside. As one resident told me, "Lately, we've gone back to someone pulling the fire alarm at 3:30 in the morning. You don't know if there's actually a fire and the building is going to burn down."Earlier this month, the issue became more ominous when fires were actually set. A 'Crime Stoppers' bulletin was issued yesterday offering $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. According to the Tacoma Fire Department, four fires set since Aug. 3 have caused approximately $15,000-$17,000 in damages. The story made Kong 6 @ 10:30 p.m. / King 5 @ 11:00 p.m. last night.
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Aug. 11, 2009 at 5:13pm
Vault Deli, RIP
Posted on one of the doors of the Vault deli yesterday . . .
Located on the first floor of the Washington Building (home of the Index), the Vault Deli was never a lunch-time staple for me, but a convenient and quick place to grab a slice of pizza or a half-sandwich during a long day of work when I didn't want to stray too far from the office. Still, the place always seemed to do a steady walk-up lunch business.
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Aug. 10, 2009 at 1:52pm
TDI Mail Bag II
Most of the mail I receive here at TDI 'world headquarters' is filed in the recycle bin. But every so often something good lands on my desk. That happened today.The latest Tacoma-related book from Arcadia Publishing is headed to bookstores . . .
This will probably interest many TDI / Feed Tacoma readers because it's all about downtown from 1873 to present -- the old buildings, department stores, streetcar lines (Morgan!), etc. Here's a sample . . .
The book -- "Downtown Tacoma" by Caroline Denyer Gallacci and Ron Karabaich -- will be available Aug. 24. Buy it here or pick up a copy at King's Books.
The book -- "Downtown Tacoma" by Caroline Denyer Gallacci and Ron Karabaich -- will be available Aug. 24. Buy it here or pick up a copy at King's Books.
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Aug. 10, 2009 at 9:20am
Tacoma's Billionaire Visit
While writing this magazine article a few years ago, several people I interviewed told me that when the German flag flies atop the Columbia Bank tower in downtown Tacoma, it means Erivan Haub -- German billionaire / part-time Pierce County resident / downtown Tacoma developer & property owner -- is in town.I spotted the flag this morning . . .
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Aug. 7, 2009 at 10:45am
Brewery District Hotel Redux
You may recall that back in December a development firm presented to the City of Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) a plan to tear down the century-old former Heidelberg Brewing Company headquarters and build a 160-room hotel (Holiday Inn Express) in the city's Brewery District. If you were anywhere near City Hall during that meeting, you probably heard the collective gasps of landmarks commissioners as they were presented with this . . .
Fast-forward eight months, and the LPC is scheduled to get an update on the revised design next week. If you are interested in attending, the meeting will be held Weds., Aug. 12 at 5:00 p.m. at 728 St. Helens, Tacoma Municipal Building North, Room 16. Agenda is here. Meeting packet is here.
As a preview, here are the revised design plans scheduled to be reviewed next week by the commission . . .
According to the meeting materials, the arrows denote how the new design has been improved to better relate to the surrounding area. If you pore over the meeting packet, you will find three pages of notes addressing this issue. But here are the items I found most interesting (and I'm quoting directly from the materials here):
#2D -- Windows on upper floors are of size appropriate for a hotel and are of similar size
to adjacent structures;
#5 -- Roof Shapes and Materials / The proposed building features roof lines similar to the existing Heidelberg building and adjacent structures. Most buildings in the adjacent area have flat roofs with simple cornice treatment;
#6A -- The brick chosen is uniform in color, size and texture to adjacent buildings;
#6B -- The upper floor of the building is proposed to be stucco simple in form to match surrounding buildings.
Similarly, here are some images of the project's massing . . .
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Aug. 6, 2009 at 8:55am
Downtown Link Closure
Signs are up along Commerce Street and Pacific Avenue, and conversation this morning on the Link was how passengers would get from Tacoma Dome Station to the central business district due to the temporary closure of downtown Tacoma's Link light rail that begins Saturday.According to Sound Transit and Pierce Transit, the pavement between rails on Commerce Street between South 9th and South 13th street needs repair due to heavy use by bus and vehicular traffic. Construction is scheduled to last nine days from Aug. 8 to Aug. 16.
More info here and here.
Here is the scene this morning on Pacific Avenue . . .
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Aug. 4, 2009 at 9:50am
The Winthrop Interviews
The Winthrop's on-again, off-again development plans have been well covered, and many people have quick opinions on what to do with the building: restore it to its original form as an historic hotel; shut it down because of its long reputation as a hub for illicit activity; or find alternative housing so residents aren't concentrated in one high-rise building (a housing model no longer encouraged by low-income / affordable housing advocates). The issue is relevant because Tacoma Housing Authority is currently considering whether or not to purchase the building located at 9th and Commerce downtown.What has not been told through local media is the residents' stories.
Six weeks ago, I started to work on a series entitled, "Voices From the Winthrop." The idea was simple. Invite anyone living in the Winthrop to meet for 30-45 minutes and candidly discuss a wide range of issues: What is their living situation? How and why did they decide to move into the Winthrop? What is it like living in the building? And what do they think of all the focus on their building in terms of public safety, potential development, etc.?
The first installment appeared in the Tacoma Daily Index on June 16 and profiled Glenn Grigsby, a Winthrop resident who has lived in the building for 15 years and has seen all of its ups-and-downs over those years. Grigsby is someone I met a few years ago at a community meeting, and with whom I have remained in contact. After our interview was published, a few others came forward to speak with me for the series. So far, I've talked to a college student, a single mother, and the Winthrop's equivalent of a minor celebrity -- the so-called 'Yo-Yo Man.' More interviews are in the pipeline.
The series has drawn a decent amount of interest from TDI readers and local affordable housing advocates (Grigsby's interview was the second-most-read article on our Web site in June). True, the residents profiled so far only represent a small group out of a building that houses nearly 200 people. They aren't indicative of everyone in the Winthrop. But the series is a new chapter in the Winthrop's ongoing story.
If you are interested in reading the series to date, here are some links . . .
Glenn Grigsby -- ( Web ) / ( PDF )
Otha Adams -- ( Web ) / ( PDF )
Nanette Colby -- ( Web ) / ( PDF )
John Heffler -- ( Web ) / ( PDF )
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Heffler, Grigsby, Colby, Adams.
Look for more installments in future editions of the Index.
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Aug. 3, 2009 at 11:15am
Rialto Theater Mural
The run-down west wall of the historic Rialto Theater downtown could soon get some artistic attention thanks to a collaboration between Broadway Center For the Performing Arts, Urban Grace church, and a group of local artists from Fab 5. Urban Grace was recently awarded a grant by the city's neighborhood innovative grant program, which aims to benefit low to moderate income neighborhoods or communities through physical improvements that remove blighted conditions.I wrote an article about the proposed Rialto mural for today's edition of the Tacoma Daily Index.
According to the project summary shared with the Landmarks Preservation Commission's Architectural Review Committee last week, three proposed designs have been created. However, Urban Grace senior pastor Tad Monroe and BCPA Executive Director David Fischer say these proposals will likely change as more community input is received.
The pair plans to meet with the city's Public Assemblies Facilities Department, the Tacoma Arts Commission, resident arts organizations, and BCPA's board of directors for their input. "We are open to adjustments and other ideas," Monroe told the committee. "I don't think we have a very specific plan. We just want something the whole community will accept."
Still, here are the three early ideas . . .
I. "The City of Destiny: Tacoma as an Iconic Metropolitan Area"
II. "Art and Spiritual Awakening Through the Creative Spirit"
III. "Renaissance As Revolution: Changing Perceptions"
-- The quote in the center reads: "All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions." -- Leonardo Da Vinci
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Jul. 29, 2009 at 1:24pm
Downtown Mercury Rising
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Monday, Tuesday, Today (and still climbing)
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Jul. 27, 2009 at 12:05pm
PHOTOS -- Sound Transit Dome District Walking Tour
I spent the morning walking the Dome District with folks from Sound Transit, the district, City Hall, and Pierce County.At issue: a rail line through the Dome District connecting Tacoma Dome Station to Lakewood Station. Sound Transit has proposed a large berm upon which the track would stretch from D Street to M Street. Others want a post-and-beam structure that they argue will be less intrusive and more amenable to pedestrians, cyclists, and small-business owners. Some background info here and here.
I plan to transcribe the Q & A section of the meeting for a lengthy Index article in the next couple days. Until then, here are some photos from this morning's meeting and walking tour . . .
Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl explains the project costs while Brown & Haley CEO Pierson Clair looks on . . .
Dome District community activist Jori Adkins provides details on 'post-and-beam' alternative to Sound Transit's plan . . .
A perfect day for a walking tour . . .
Do you see that orange line in the middle of the picture? Barely? Me, too. According to Sound Transit, the track atop the berm will be approximately 8 feet higher than that line . . .
The track's center line will cross through the parking lot beneath I-705 . . .
Finally, the smartest urban planner/designer in Tacoma was quietly taking notes . . .
***UPDATE - 07/28/09*** Here is the Index's coverage of yesterday's meeting.
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Jul. 21, 2009 at 3:05pm
A New Downtown Merchant
On my way to the office this morning, two people were installing a sign above a storefront near 9th and Pacific downtown. While out on a walk at lunch, I noticed the installation was complete . . .
Xcellence Salon & Spa is moving in . . .
If you are familiar with this part of downtown Tacoma (114 S. 9th St. -- around the corner from Hal Of A Sub), four empty storefronts have defined this half-block stretch between Pac Ave and Court A for a long time (the last merchant I can recall in one of these spaces was a shoe store owner several years ago). Downtown's north end could always use another merchant.
One more thing: visitors to Xcellence Salon & Spa will have a straight-ahead view of The Headliners Salon & Studio right across the street . . .
Welcome to the neighborhood.
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Jul. 16, 2009 at 12:21pm
Downtown Tacoma's Iconic Buildings
Local history buffs will tell you that downtown Tacoma's oldest buildings are more than bricks and mortar. Some carry the names of the city's earliest civic notables. Others are skyline standouts because of their interesting designs. One thing is consistent: these buildings are urban icons.Tacoma Historical Society's (THS) current exhibit -- "From Ruins to Renaissance: The Architecture of Downtown Tacoma" -- is proof. It is a unique collection of photographs and artifacts that pay homage to these celebrated buildings.
I had the opportunity last week to interview THS Director Mary Bowlby (below left) and THS member/volunteer Heather Straub (below right) about the exhibit. I wrote a feature article about it for today's edition of the Tacoma Daily Index. Links here (Web) and here (PDF).
Personally, the coolest part of the exhibit is the artifacts collected and displayed. A rusty intercom bell from the Hotel Stoddard. A weathered shoe recovered from the renovation of the Bone-Dry Building. A brittle stair rail spindle from the Luzon Building. Terra Cotta ornamentation from the Tacoma Theater.
THS consistently puts on remarkable exhibits. If you are a fan of downtown's old buildings, this is a must-see.
More info on THS and the exhibit here.
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Jul. 15, 2009 at 12:10pm
Downtown's Newest Urbanites (Update)
What a difference three weeks can make.Checking in on our feathered friends on the rooftop across the way, the babies are much bigger and starting to stretch their wings a bit (we haven't seen any of them fly yet). It's neat how they go from these brown fur balls to big gray-and-white birds.
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Jul. 15, 2009 at 9:00am
Tacoma Dome 2.0
The decades-old, Tron-style Tacoma Dome reader board is being replaced this week. The new $175,000-$200,000 reader board is long overdue . . .
I drove by the T-Dome this morning en route to the office and noticed workers have done a pretty decent job of dismantling it . . .
Tucked away and under wraps was the new reader board. It had just arrived on the back of a flat-bed truck . . .
It was offloaded onto the parking lot . . .
I hung around for awhile to see if anyone would crack this open like a Christmas present, but it never happened. Look for competing EQC and T-Dome signs along I-5 later this week.
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Jul. 10, 2009 at 9:00am
Tagging the Luzon Building
The Luzon Building at the corner of 13th and Pacific downtown is surrounded by a fence six feet high. Padlocks secure several doors. If that's not enough, the building just might fall on you. Small obstacles, I guess, for a tagger this week . . .
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Jul. 1, 2009 at 3:05pm
Downtown Mini Photo Safari (Part II)
It's hard to stay in the office on a day like this . . .
So I decided to spend my lunch break today (a.) shooting photos for upcoming stories and (b.) compiling another Downtown Mini Photo Safari for the blog. Enjoy!
No comment needed . . .
Fire alarm at the Harmon Building . . .
A little culture-jamming . . .
Will this thing ever be installed . . . ?
HELLO . . . Hello . . . hello . . .
Rockin' out at Tollefson Plaza . . .
On a serious note, flags are at half-staff today . . .
Finally, I was waiting for the Link in the Theater District when I saw an old man -- suit, sun glasses, fedora, and cane -- trip and fall face-first outside the Sanford and Sons / Middle Floor Merchants building. I ran across the street, helped him up (sun glasses broken, bleeding cut above his right eye), and offered to call for medical attention. He repeatedly declined and went on his way. If you're out there, hopefully you're doing OK.
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Jun. 29, 2009 at 8:20pm
TAM Plaza Redesign Shortlist
Six firms considered for $3 million project
The Tacoma Art Museum announced today it has narrowed its shortlist of designers for a $3 million plaza/perimeter redesign down to six firms:
- BCRA (Tacoma, design team led by David Wright);
- Design team led by E. Cobb Architects, which includes Alchemie and Arup (Seattle, Vancouver, Sun Valley, worldwide);
- Johnson Architecture and Planning LLC (Seattle, design team led by Ben Gist);
- Mithun (Seattle and San Francisco);
- NBBJ (Seattle and worldwide);
- Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen & Charles Anderson Landscape Architecture (Seattle).
The museum received 95 submissions, a task force reviewed the applications last week, and the six finalists will be interviewed July 9. A final decision will be made this fall.
More info about the project here and here and here.
Here's friend of the Tacoma Daily Index R.R. Anderson (and I think that's Stowe in the background) doing his own plaza redesign during the "Big Draw" in April . . .
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Jun. 29, 2009 at 4:30pm
Health Care Reform Hits Downtown
As of around 4:00 p.m. today, two small groups of demonstrators are gathered at separate corners of 11th and Pacific downtown as part of a rally in support of national single-payer health care.According to a press release I received last week, one group is outside the Washington Building to show support for Congressman Norm Dicks who has signed on in support of HR 676 (he has an office in the building); another group is outside the Rust Building across the street to urge Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray to show the same support (they have offices in the Rust Building).
More info is here.
I shot these photos 20 minutes ago . . .
From the Index office upstairs, I can hear chants and the occasional honks of passing cars. If you are into the issue and happen to be nearby, they have plenty of extra signs for you to hold.
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Jun. 25, 2009 at 4:20pm
Pacific Plaza Signage
Lunch at Bernardo's and a short walk through downtown today revealed this . . .
Pacific Plaza now has fancy signage.
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Jun. 24, 2009 at 11:15am
Downtown's Newest Urbanites
A co-worker here at the Index directed me to one of our office windows and pointed to the roof of a parking garage . . .
At first glance, not much to see. But then I zeroed in on this . . .
A nest, mama seagull and three little ones . . .
A warm welcome to downtown Tacoma's newest residents.
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Jun. 18, 2009 at 8:55am
Car-Bike Tangle Downtown
On the Link ride in to work this morning a little after 8:00 a.m., we crossed 11th on Commerce to find a woman on the ground in the middle of the intersection. Bike on the ground next to her. Contents of a sack lunch spilled out on the street. A silver pick-up truck stopped nearby.I got to the office, grabbed the camera, and headed out to see what happened. By the time I arrived, medics were there and the intersection was mostly cleared. A Pierce Transit supervisor told me the cyclist was hit by the truck. "She's OK, but she's going to be sore," he said.
Cyclist in white top / brown pants talking to emergency service folks . . .
Driver on left, cyclist on right . . .
On the way back to the office, I could hear driver-biker talking. Driver: "I'm sorry." Biker: "Accidents happen."
Everybody be careful out there.
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Jun. 4, 2009 at 2:53pm
Tacoma's Green Skyline
Pacific Plaza's rooftop garden
From my office window here at Index 'world headquarters,' today I've been following the progress of a team of workers high atop Pacific Plaza downtown. If you are familiar with the project, you know the developers are including a green roof with soil and vegetation as part of the $35 million renovation of the old parking garage.More details on the project here and here.
This is what the rooftop looked like on a wet and cold day in January . . .
This is what it looked like this morning . . .
The tan stuff on the left is topsoil. Here's a closer look at one of the workers with rake in hands . . .
Workers have been blowing the topsoil out of a large hose hooked up to to this truck . . .
They're making quick work . . .
I thought the Turkish baths were cool. But this rooftop garden is another neat aspect of the project. I'll post more photos to the TDI blog as progress continues.
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May. 29, 2009 at 3:26pm
TDI Mail Bag
Following up on this post last week, the Wedge Historic District public hearing notice landed on my desk today . . .
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May. 29, 2009 at 2:35pm
Winthrop Saga Continues
THA weighs building purchase
I sat in on a meeting this week between a small group of Winthrop residents and the Tacoma Housing Authority to discuss an issue of concern to at least a couple residents I know who live in the building -- Is the Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) planning to purchase the Winthrop?On Wednesday afternoon, THA Executive Director Michael Mirra addressed the rumor during the meeting at Brick City downtown by saying that THA was indeed looking into purchasing the building, but the idea was still extremely preliminary and the agency wasn't near entering into a negotiation with the building's current owner.
I wrote about the meeting for today's edition of the Index.
Here are the highlights:
- Mirra told attendees, "Rumors are flying that we have made a deal. THA was asked if we want to purchase the Winthrop. We don't know if we can buy it. It's preliminary at this point." He added, "We're looking the building over to try and tell us the condition of the building and what it would mean to own it."
- THA has discussed the idea with City officials because the city has invested $2 million in the building in the form of a federal Urban Development Action Grant and THA would need the city's help in order to complete any purchase. A city spokesman told me this morning, "The city is aware that there is an interest and THA has been doing a vetting process, but the city hasn't been involved at this point."
- If THA does purchase the Winthrop, said Mirra, it has considered a couple possible uses for the building:
- Address decades of deferred maintenance by fixing up the building and keeping it in its current use as affordable low-income housing. Mirra estimates the building needs tens of millions of dollars in deferred maintenance and rehabilitation;
- Or convert the building into a mixed-use property consisting of low-income housing, market-rate housing, and commercial office and retail space, and lease the ballroom to the public.
- THA is expected to conclude its assessment and make a decision late-summer.
Earlier Index coverage here and here and here.
Bonus: In 2006, I was invited inside the Winthrop to shoot some photographs. Here are some thumbnail pictures I shot while on the building's penthouse level:
A view of City Hall from the terrace . . .
A vacant room . . .
The kitchen . . .
Nice view of Commencement Bay . . .
The downtown skyline . . .
( Photos by Todd Matthews )
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May. 26, 2009 at 2:08pm
Curran House
University Place property makes Washington Trust's endangered list
It's the end of May, which means the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has announced this year's list of the state's most endangered historic properties.Although Tacoma properties weren't included on the list this year (and a certain round object in a city to the north has received the most attention), the Curran House in University Place did make the cut.
(Curran House / Photo Courtesy Washington Trust for Historic Preservation)
I have to confess I haven't covered the Curran House at all for the Index, largely because there is plenty of preservation activity in Tacoma alone. But from what I've gathered, a group of people from UP and Tacoma are working hard to preserve it.
According to the Trust . . .
Architecturally, the Curran House is a fine example of mid-century modern design. Robert B. Price, noted as the first architect from Tacoma to be inducted to the AIA College of Fellows, designed the house in 1952. But what sets it apart, and provides the agricultural connection, is the setting: the house is situated within an orchard providing a unique example of early western Washington apple horticulture. This combination deems the property eligible for listing in the Washington Heritage Register, and if listed, would be the first Price-designed resource to achieve such designation.This year's list also includes Alki Homestead Restaurant (Seattle); BF Tabbott House (Bainbridge Island); Bush House (Index); George Carmack House (Seattle); Day Block (Dayton); Old Ellensburg Hospital (Ellensburg); Libbey House (Coupeville); Post-Intelligencer Globe (Seattle); Sand Point Naval Station (Seattle); St. Edward's Catholic Church (Shelton); Surrey Downs (Bellevue); Vashon Elementary Gymnasium (Vashon Island).
In the early 1990s, Pierce County purchased the property and the existing house from the original owners with funds from the county's Conservation Futures program for use as parkland. The guidelines of the program require that the property, as well as the house, be used for horticultural and educational purposes in perpetuity. After incorporating as a city in 1995, University Place assumed control of the property. The city leased the Curran House for some time, but the structure has sat vacant for over a year.
In 1999, University Place developed a Master Plan for the park in order to evaluate future uses and programs at the site. Of the several scenarios included in the plan, each called for retaining the Curran House based on findings that the building could serve a useful function and was an integral part of the property as a unit. Despite this planning document, the city is currently debating whether or not to demolish the structure, citing a variety of costs related to repairs, security, and utility bills as barriers to rehabilitation. Given the lack of funds, the responsibility has fallen on the community to provide money for needed improvements and ongoing maintenance.
Last year, the Trust made its announcement on the Murray Morgan Bridge. And it's not the first time a property in Pierce County or Tacoma has made the list. Past Tacoma sites include the Luzon Building, Elks Temple, Japanese Language School, Murray Morgan Bridge, and First United Methodist Church. On the county level, the Trust has listed Kelley Farm in Bonney Lake; Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood; Balch House and Nathaniel Orr House in Steilacoom; and Fleischmann's Yeast Plant in Sumner.
Similar to last year, the Index will profile one property per day over the next two weeks in the print edition.
Earlier Index coverage of the Trust is here and here.
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May. 21, 2009 at 11:14am
Wedge Resident? Check Your Mail
If you live in Tacoma's Wedge neighborhood, you might want to double-check your mail next week.The City of Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation (LPC) Commission agreed May 13 to release for public comment the nomination and proposed boundaries that would turn the neighborhood into an historic district. The LPC also scheduled a public hearing for June 24 at 5:00 p.m. to hear from property owners and residents about the plan. A public hearing notice will be mailed May 27 and include a postage-paid mailer soliciting brief and anonymous comments from property owners and residents.
Also: the city's historic preservation office now has a Web site solely devoted to the Wedge historic district process. It's a fantastic resource. Check it out here.
Earlier Tacoma Daily Index coverage of the Wedge issue here and here and here and here.
About
A blog following news and features published in the Tacoma Daily Index newspaper. All Photos Copyright (C) Todd Matthews / Tacoma Daily Index.
Recent Posts
| 2/2 | New Pac Ave Retailer [6] |
| 1/8 | A New Link Light Rail Station? [59] |
| 12/8 | Lakewood Police Memorial [7] |
| 12/4 | THS Downtown Exhibit Center RIP [8] |
| 11/20 | Murray Morgan Bridge Update [18] |