December 13, 2007 · Derek

Heidelberg Drawings and the LPC Discussion

So. As you know, Hotel Concepts Inc filed a demolition permit for the Heidelberg Brewery site and went before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) last night. This was an opportunity for the developer to present their concept and intentions in order to gather feedback from the Commission to incorporate into further planning for the proposed Holiday Inn Express.

Some of the topics discussed included the architectural context of the area. The historic city stables … the UWT warehouses and factories … the breweries themselves … the view from the 21st street bridge … re-use and sustainability issues.

The developer said that it will cost $14 million for adaptive reuse of the existing building. The Commission discussed leveraging existing design elements into a new structure to make sure that the new building didn’t look like a freeway-side hotel. But, according to the developer, the industrial and somewhat threatening appearance of the neighborhood would discourage visitors. Their design will attempt to mitigate that.

The developer was concerned that they were being condemned for the faults of the Marriott building on Pacific. The Commission explained their design would be considered on its merits, but that the experience with Marriott was difficult and that learnings from that experience would inform their thoughts.

We worry it’s a little too “Miller Lite” for our Brewery District …

Do you have hope? We fear a propensity for taupe and surface parking.

Link to Hotel Concepts Inc.
Link to Tacoma Daily Index

Update

Just a reminder that comments can be made to the Commission via Reuben McKnight at:

Landmarks Preservation Commission
c/o Reuben M McKnight
Community and Economic Development Department (C.E.D.)
747 Market Street Room 1036
Tacoma, WA 98402
Reuben.mcknight@cityoftacoma.org

Filed under: Neighborhoods, City Projects, Elsewhere, Tacoma Landmarks, Public Safety, Fife, Brewery District, Brewery District Development, Heidelberg

6 comments

Christine December 29, 2012

What else can we outsource to Fife?
RR Anderson December 31, 2012

is this a trick to get robert hill out of the voter pamphlet?
MrDoc December 26, 2013

It's not a good thing for the offenders housed there. I know jail sucks & that's a great reason not to get in trouble. But a stay at Fife is its.own special version of jail hell. The place was designed as a temporary holding facility for individuals in transit and only offenders from Fife. Now to have that many.people longer they've had to adapt, poorly. Theres no kitchen so the "meals" consist of a tiny quick-serve Banquet pot pie or TV dinner snack 3 times a day. If you've lived in a third-world country or been to Fife Jail then you know hunger. The maybe 6 closet-sized cells have racks (bunks) to the ceiling for at least 6 people. The guy in the highest bed can't sit.upright with the ceiling inches away Inmates are literally stacked on top of one another & theres barely room to get out bed and move around. There is no nurse or medical staff so infirm inmates and people who didn't plan ahead and bring all their medication when they got arrested are usually held up north at the new SCORE jail where they're capable to manage a health condition beyond a papercut. SCORE certainly has the unused capacity that could completely phase out the outdated and poorly modified Fife jail and hold the incarcerated in at least semi-humane conditions. I know we're all about saving money but that Fife jail as it is shouldn't exist.
- thackerspeed December 26, 2013
  
  Yeah, I see where you're going with this. People who take liberty with their liberties should be entitled to more liberty.
  - MrDoc January 23, 2014
    
    Not quite. There are consequences to breaking the law, as there well should be.. but in this case felony offenders in our city (murderers, robbers, pedophiles, etc) are living much more comfortably in PCJ than those held at Fife who commited a misdemeanor (suspended license, unpaid fines etc). It just doesn't sit right with me. What kind of message does that send?
    - MrDoc January 23, 2014
      
      Allow me to correct myself.. those in PCJ who stand ACCUSED of those awful crimes are treated better. Innocent til proven guilty, etc etc. Still though..