Elks: What Could Be...
We must admit we were disappointed when the Williams & Dame put the Elks Lodge up for sale. We had such high hopes. But alas, the details have hit the market for another lucky investor to take their chance. The rendering shows what could be on the site. Anyone have $5 million laying around? How about a few more bake sales?
Link to the Sales Flyer (pdf)
Previously on Exit133
(Thank you, Jake)
Update
David Boe has sent us another of his lovely drawings about what could might be in Tacoma on this site. What do you think?
Filed under: General
13 comments
C Christy March 28, 2008
Wow, that looks like a dream. I’ll volunteer to bake, I make excellent sugar cookies.
N NSHDscott March 28, 2008
Wow, that looks wild! I always pictured the big new imaginary building going on the other (uphill) side of the Elks. But hey, whatever works!
This seems like a good opportunity to again pitch the idea of relocating the Children’s Museum in the Elks Temple. Those open floor plans and lack of windows that W&D complained complicated any reuse plans are perfect attributes for a museum. Then, just think of the lessons you could teach the younguns about historical preservation — and how pumped they’ll be entering this giant wedding cake of a building!
Maybe Learning Sprout could take over the bottom floor, help cover costs. Seems like a great joint venture and it’s not like their current storefront is all that.
D drizell March 28, 2008
NSHD, the rendering does show a building on the uphill side. It is a shame that W+D bailed on Tacoma. They have the experience and financial resources to pull it off, as evidenced by their South Waterfront development in Portland and all the new towers in LA. I say give Tacoma a few more years, and then invite Williams and Dame back to try something else. Hopefully we’ll have a more cohesive downtown by then where something like the above rendering may work. We’re still not to the point of being able to make taller buildings pencil out, even with willing developers like W+D. Onerous development regulations are part of the problem, but the city is required to do its 7-year comp plan update in 2008, as required by the GMA.
We may have failed this time, but I see buildings like these becoming reality in the next ten years.
D David Boe March 28, 2008
Ah, correction E133. The purpose of these thumbnail sketches is to convey what Tacoma ‘might’ be…
N NSHDscott March 28, 2008
Oh, LOL! I’m so used to seeing the Elks Temple from the Stadium Way/Commerce side that I forgot it also faces Broadway. I stand corrected.
Thanks for the new sketch, David, these things are fun to look at and help us dream.
W Whitney staff March 28, 2008
So sorry David. It’s fixed!
B Bryan March 28, 2008
A google search of “Children’s Museum” and “historic building” shows a number of museums around the country that have been successful in historic locations. I didn’t see any that look as awesome as the Elks, though.
M morgan March 29, 2008
We might just take you up on that pledge, Erik!
I had a conversation with the director of the Children’s Museum. It sounds like their board is reconsidering priorities and will restart their search soon. You can rest assured that the Elks building is on their radar though.
B Bell Capt : March 29, 2008
Is that a “major player in the hotel World” on the lower floors with a “condo option” above on the upper’s drawing ?
Very popular concept in many MAJOR Cities acoss the USA………..
R RR Anderson March 29, 2008
your drawings rock David Boe!
R rich March 29, 2008
wow….that could have added so many more feet on the street in that area………I have faith, as long as we can gather more outside developers with great experience like Williams & Dame…..these guys put Prium to shame…….hopefully, they will decide at some point to take a chance on Tacoma……we could use their experience….
B Brent Hartinger March 29, 2008
Hey, let’s put on a show! We’ll use the abandoned Elks building!
Seriously. People should fund-raise. Grass-roots stuff.
C Chris K April 4, 2008
Didn’t a group lead by Dawn Lucien raise money this way to help save Union Station? Why can’t we do the same thing with the Elks Building?
C’mon, who is organizing this?