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.  

Murray Morgan Bridge Closure Feb. 14

A closure to vehicle traffic on the Murray Morgan Bridge (11th Street in Tacoma) is scheduled from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14.

This closure will allow for the final stages of dredging to be conducted in the Thea Foss Waterway. During this time 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 closure 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.

Murray Morgan Bridge Closures in February Rescheduled

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

This dredging activity has been delayed by one day from the original announcement and now will occur Feb. 4-5, and Feb. 10-11, 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.

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.

Climb the Stairs at Murray Morgan Bridge

Climb the stairs at the Murray Morgan Bridge! The staircase, located between Dock Street and South 11th Street in downtown Tacoma, opened to the public Friday as a part of the Murray Morgan Bridge renovation.

The elevator will open by the end of next week, pending inspection.

For more information on the project, visit the City’s website. 

Pacific Avenue 60% Drawings Public

If you missed the open house put on by Downtown On the Go and the City of Tacoma you missed out on seeing the current design for Pacific Avenue.  Not to fear though, the City has provided us with a copy of the technical drawings.  You can view them or download them here.  Also uploaded is a copy of the presentation. 

(Please note that these are not small files - particularly the design drawings.  The hosting site does make it possible to view them without the full download though.  Please be patient with it.)

As was discussed at the meeting, the 60% stage means that the street layout has been essentially identified.  After all the feedback received on the draft 30% drawings (versions 1 through ???) the City and their consultants had plenty to review.  The City Council took all the public comment into consideration and gave direction to staff on how to move forward.

This means the big picture questions have been answered, unless there has been a major oversight.  The next stage of the project is to refine the drawings to reflect a lot of the small details: street furniture, curb elevations, specific plant locations, etc.  Answering these questions will take the project to 90% and eventually on to construction drawings that will be put out for bid.

At 60% review, the question really is, was something overlooked?  Are there specific details that should be considered going forward?

Pacific Avenue Design is at 60%

We've been following the progress of the Pacific Avenue redesign and planned reconstruction for a while now.  (Most recently here.)  On September 28th, Tacoma-based AHBL, the lead consultant on this phase of the project, presented information to the City of Tacoma's Environment & Public Works Committee.  We've uploaded the information from that meeting, including the drawings showing 60% design completion.

The full (2MB) presentation can be downloaded here.  Some highlights include a 3-lane road from 7th to 9th, a 4-lane road from 9th to 17th, and extra turn pockets at 11th and 13th.  In addition, there is information on parking, rain gardens, lighting, and signage.

Needless to say, there is only so much that can be gleaned from a presentation without hearing the presentation itself.  With that in mind, the City and Downtown on the Go have scheduled a public presentation to share more details on the project.  The presentation is tenatively scheduled as follows:

60% Design Drawings Update
October 20th @ 5:30PM
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce
950 Pacific Avenue 98402, Suite 300

How to get there:
Pierce Transit Commerce Street Station
Sound Transit Commerce Street Link Stop
On-Street Parking on Pacific & S. 11th

More details on the presentation will follow, but please note that this is intended as an opportunity to hear about the current street plans.  The City and the consultant have received extensive public feedback during the conceptual planning phases of this project.  They are now putting this input into action with the latest designs.

Emergency Sewer Repairs Downtown

UPDATE:  3-25-11
TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS NEAR SOUTH 15th AND MARKET STREETS IN DOWNTOWN TACOMA ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF APRIL. THIS EXCEEDS INITIAL ESTIMATES BECAUSE EXCAVATION REVEALED THE SEWER LINES IN THIS AREA WILL REQUIRE MORE EXTENSIVE REPAIR.



UPDATE:  3-24-11
WORK WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO EARLY APRIL.  CITY STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AROUND THE CONSTRUCTION SITE AND OPEN STREETS AS THEY CAN.

Sewer repairs near South 15th & Market will block streets for about a week.

Traffic will be diverted in the vicinity of South 15th and Market streets for about a week while crews repair a sewer main that collapsed March 15.

Traffic is expected to be closed on Market Street between South 13th Street and South 15th Street, and along South 15th Street between Fawcett Avenue and Broadway.

The estimate for the duration of this job could change as work progresses and the scope of the collapse is uncovered. The pipe in this area was installed in 1906.