A Facelift for Freighthouse Square

After two years of strenuous conversations over the location of the new Tacoma Amtrak station, the Washington State Department of Transportation is happy to announce that the new location will be located at the historic Freighthouse Square. 

The new station and construction will be necessary because passenger trains will now be using new routes starting in 2017. Instead of the existing station on Puyallup Ave, the new location with be at the to-be renovated Freighthouse Square. The new location will cut eight minutes off travel time for those going to and from the Seattle-Portland stations and will relieve congestion on the waterfront line. Along with these improvements, Amtrak will be increasing the number of passenger trains traveling from Seattle to Portland from five daily trips to seven in 2017. The Washington State Department of Transportation are putting the final touches on the plans and will be advertising for bids in February and are hoping that construction will begin mid-spring. 

So far the plans for Freighthouse square include the middle portion of the building to be demolished and replaced with the new station, on the original footprint. Currently WSDOT is still negotiating details and selling price with the building’s owner, Brian Borgelt. While the process has been rather long and drawn out, Borgelt is hopeful that everything will be settled soon. 

One thing that comes to mind when talking about Freighthouse is all the small business located within the building. Borgelt has made it one of his goals to keep the businesses in the non-demolition location open and viable for business. The businesses located within the breakdown sight have already been moved out in preparation. 

For more information click here.

Six Years and Waiting

Announced almost six years ago was the purchasing of the Elks Lodge in downtown Tacoma. Roughly a month ago came the announcement that renovations were finally beginning. Why the six year lag you ask? Well, the purchasing company, McMenamins has your answer.

To find the answer you first need to know who is McMenamins? McMenamins is a Portland based entertainment company that holds properties throughout Oregon, Bothell and now Tacoma. They also only work on one project at a time, which explains the gap. With the Bothell building now complete, it is finally Tacoma’s turn.

Another recent announcement was that the City of Tacoma has awarded McMenamins with the bid for Old City Hall, located across the street from the Elks Lodge.

McMenamins has a thirty year history of turning historic buildings into entertainment and lodging locations. They are currently planning on renovating the Elks Lodge to feature an event space and a rooftop garden, accompanied by three restaurants, a bar, and a brewery. To top off this massive renovation, there will also be approximately 46 hotel rooms for guests to stay and play. The Old City Hall, which will be a few years behind the Elks Lodge, will be a complimentary experience for guests. The plan for Old City Hall is to have at least 60 hotel rooms, a gift shop, soaking pools, community and private meeting spaces, along with a jailhouse themed bar and a rooftop restaurant featuring a greenhouse. The Elks Lodge will have more of a unique floor plan with a labyrinth of different types of rooms, while the Old City Hall will keep its classic design consistent throughout the building.

This is looking to be two very large renovations with promising outcomes. These plans will not only take the burden of these two beautiful yet deteriorating buildings off the shoulders of the city but it will also be an amazing new opportunity for tourism and small businesses to flourish.

The Elks lodge has been purchased completely by McMenamins and due to it being a private selling process, no firm timelines were made mandatory for this building.  However, they are hopeful there will be an opening mid-2017. The Old City Hall is on a lease to potentially own status with firm deadlines so as not to experience a six year lag as with the Elks Lodge. Final details, deadlines, and costs have not yet been set but City Council is hoping to have everything approved by early next year. Decisions on if this will be a purchase to own property are still unclear and neither party is giving an indication on which way they are leaning.

With only a handful of historic buildings left to renovate in Tacoma, many people are looking to see what possible projects could be on the horizon for the companies who were outbid for the Old City Hall. Companies such as, Daniels Real Estate, a Seattle based company with experience in historical restorations, lost to McMenamins but is still interested in moving to Tacoma. Some are speculating that the Washington Building on Pacific Ave, the University-Union Club at 539 Broadway, and the Mansion on Broadway may be next to join the ranks of Tacoma’s beautiful historic renovations. Tacoma has a strong grip on their past and is not going to let changing times take away from the rich history that we have to offer. Restoring historic buildings is classically Tacoma and here to stay for many more generations to enjoy.  

I love trains.

I just took the Amtrak down to Portland a few weeks back for a work trip. It is my favorite way to travel to PDX, which I do for work and pleasure at least a few times a year. Portland’s walk-ability and transit system also make it really easy to be without a car.

You may have heard by now that WSDOT will be breaking ground on the new Amtrak station at Freighthouse Square this next year and that new station is schedule to open in 2017.

Parts of the plans for the new station include a clock tower that WSDOT and the Citizens Advisory Committee on the project have hopes will be an iconic addition to the Tacoma landscape.

The proposed clock tower will stand 80 to 90 feet tall and be located on 25th Street, in front of the Freighthouse Square building and across the street from the commuter parking garage.

Whenever someone uses the word iconic – I’ll admit I get a little nervous.

Not because I’m against iconic structures. No, in fact, I think iconic design and architectural elements are an important factor in a community’s identification with its city.

I get nervous because sometimes what gets produced in the service of iconic is something ugly, something out of place, something that isn’t functional, or something that is trying entirely too hard.

I’m not an architect or a designer, but like most of you, I know when something works and doesn’t work. It’s a fine line – trying to create something iconic

In some ways there are a lot of things out of the control of the designers and decision makers that end up making something iconic. Sometimes it is just about timing. Sometimes it’s about the cultural evolution of a place that can’t be anticipated in the moment.

Interestingly enough, we already have an iconic structure in the vicinity of the new Amtrak station – the Tacoma Dome.

The T-Dome is a good example. I’m not sure anyone would call it attractive and in fact many people might call it an eye sore. Nevertheless, it is iconic and you can’t think about the Tacoma landscape without calling to mind the dome.

The structure itself is iconic and that doesn’t even take into account the history that it holds. I wore out my Sonic’s T-Shirt that had the Tacoma landscape worked into the Sonic’s logo from their time playing in the Woodshed in the 1994-95 season. That’s just one of my many favorite pieces of T-Dome history.

One of the things that will make the Tacoma dome even more iconic (in my opinion) is the Warhol Flower being painted on the top of the dome. I know that everyone doesn’t share that opinion, but what I like about it is that it takes something that is already a known quantity and connects it even more deeply to a significant part of our identity as strong artistically oriented city.

Plus, it takes a bit of a risk – which sometimes is needed when trying to create something iconic.

WSDOT put a call out for residents to weigh in on three proposed designs for the clock tower. Today was the deadline for input. I will be interested to see what the feedback is.

I won’t get into the proposed designs, but if you want to read more about them you can check out Matt Driscoll’s article in The News Tribune. Like Matt, I think the clock tower is a good idea, but I’m not sold on any of the current designs either.

Here is the thing about creating something iconic – you can’t let the limitations get in the way.

There are plenty of potential limitations – cost, the limitations of the location, and trying to meet particular deadlines.

Taking a risk is not the same thing as settling for something less the desirable because we lack the will, the imagination, and the determination to create something that really works.

I vote that we take our time.

Matt points out that City Councilman David Boe (an architect) has some ideas, including a city run open design competition – after all Tacoma is full of many great artists, designers, and architects that I believe have the capacity to imagine something that will indeed be iconic.

In my opinion it would be worth the time and effort – let’s get this right.

If at this late hour you still want to weigh in. You can access the survey here - online survey .

Murray Morgan Bridge Closures Scheduled for Waterway Dredging in February

Closures to vehicle traffic on the Murray Morgan Bridge (11th Street in Tacoma) are scheduled to allow for dredging to be conducted in the Thea Foss Waterway.

These closures are scheduled for Feb. 3-4, and Feb. 9-10, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. During these times the lift span of the bridge will be raised to allow marine vessels to pass; however, vessels are urged to use caution while passing due to the presence of barges under the bridge.

During the closures there will be limited pedestrian access from ‘A’ Street to the elevator and stairs only, with all other pedestrian access closed until work is complete.

For more information on the Murray Morgan Bridge, visit here.

UW Tacoma and YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties Student Center Grand Opening in Downtown Tacoma

Downtown Tacoma is excited for the grand opening of the new University of Washington Tacoma campus expansion, the University Y Student Center at the beginning of the New Year. This expansion was made possible by the partnership between the University of Washington Tacoma and the YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties.

This new recreation facility was created with the community and student input that includes a 73,000 square-foot multi model space for a full-size gym including weight and cardio equipment, basketball court, indoor track, and space for fitness programs, and student events.

The University Y Student Center will serve the YMCA’s growing membership to UW Tacoma students, faculty and staff, as well as all Y-members. It will not be replacing the YMCA health facility on Market and 16th Street, or any of the other seven facilities throughout Pierce and Kitsap Counties. It was built with the intension of adding another convenient location for the YMCA members and allowing for more space for an expanding membership through the South Sound region.

The grand opening will take place on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 beginning at 5:30 p.m. through 8 p.m., at the University Y Student Center, located at 1720 Market Street on the University of Washington Tacoma campus. There will be facility tours, light refreshments, and other special offers available. We are excited to see the new fitness facility built in downtown Tacoma and make a healthy lifestyle more accessible to our residents.

For more information on membership rates click here.