It is Historic Preservation Month and one of Tacoma’s historic
buildings, the Winthrop Hotel, has a new owner which promises a host of
improvements and restorations for the interior and exterior of the property.
The Winthrop was purchased from the local development company Prium by a California based company called
Redwood Housing Partners LLC.
The Winthrop has been a hot topic of conversation over the past 10
years and even before then.
The rise and fall of Prium
has been well documented, but needless to say the plans for restoring the
Winthrop with luxury condos never materialized. Part of that plan was initially
the displacement of the current residents to new low income apartments to be
built at another location.
That idea was met with significant resistance from many affordable
housing advocates and community activists concerned with gentrification and
displacement; not to mention the residents themselves.
What ended up happening was nothing. The building continued being
operated as low income apartments and in the midst of Prium’s financial
floundering and eventual bankruptcy, the building fell into even worse
disrepair with extensive deferred maintenance piling up over time.
According to reports from The
News Tribune the new owners paid $8.5 million for the 1925
property, with a commitment of up to $6.8 million in improvements that have
already been permitted, with even more permits in the works for an undisclosed
amount.
Current improvement needs and plans include repair of elevators,
extensive window repair, repairing water damage, roofing, and improved AA
accessibility – to name just a few. According to reports the company plans to
continue to provide low income apartments and at this point has no plans to
utilize the crystal ball room or the top floor penthouse.
Often what one finds at the intersection of historic preservation of
buildings being used for affordable housing is a broader conversation about maintenance
and repair costs and ideal usage that will maximize the quality of life for the
residents and the broader community.
In the work I do as a consultant in neighborhood revitalization, I have
seen many great examples of creative uses of historic properties to provide
both affordable housing as well as broader community services – both private
and public.
One can imagine a scenario at the Winthrop that would include repairs,
cleaning, and design upgrades for retail storefront uses. There are several
public spaces within the Winthrop that could be re-imagined for uses that would
serve the broader downtown community, as well as the residents – certainly the
ball room is at the top of the list.
Upgrades to benefit the residents themselves have already been announced
including a technology area and fitness center. These kinds of mixed and public
uses of a property can go a long way towards combating the stigma that many people
have about low income housing. Of course – attentive, committed, and
collaborative management is always a key in creating a healthy and safe
environment for residents and in creating broader community trust.
I am always an advocate for local ownership whenever possible, but in
this case it seems the most committed investor was from the outside. We will
have to wait and see whether they can combat the concerns (often warranted) that
come when an owner is outside of the community.
Will they be good neighbors? Will they be able to invest (not just
monetarily) adequately despite the proximity issue? Will they find a way to
have an attentive and active presence? The answers to those questions remain to
be seen, but in the short term they are willing to invest in significant improvements
in the property itself, which benefits residents and the broader community as a
whole.
If this kind of thing interests you, and I hope it does. You might want
to check out a lecture that is happening tonight at 6 pm at William W. Phillip
Hall on the UW Tacoma Campus located at 1918 Pacific Avenue.
As part of the UW Tacoma’s Annual Urban Studies Lecture Series, Dr.
Edward Goetz from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of
Minnesota will be delivering a lecture based on his new book entitled New Deal Ruins: Race, Economic Justice,
and Public Housing.
Dr. Goetz is the Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs
and co-Director of the University-Metropolitan Consortium. He is a leading
national expert on housing policy and planning, neighborhood revitalization,
and the politics of urban and regional planning.
In his lecture tonight, Dr. Goetz will offer critical analysis of the
nationwide effort to dismantle public housing, and will show how it is related
to pressures for gentrification and the enduring influence of race in American
cities.
The work of neighborhood revitalization is complex. Here we are with the
news of a historic property whose current primary usage is low income housing. Just down the street in the same downtown
neighborhood will be a robust discussion about what one expert is saying about
issues that have and certainly will influence the future of the Winthrop and
the future development and revitalization of downtown Tacoma as a whole.
Seems like a good way to spend a Tuesday evening in Tacoma during
Historic Preservation month, don’t you think? I hope some of you can take the
time to engage in the learning and exchange of ideas – adding your voice to the
public discourse on these important topics.
Tonight’s lecture is FREE, but registration is required. Register
now!
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