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September 4, 2008 · David Boe

Imagine Tacoma – Waiting for LeMay

With the 31st Annual LeMay Car Show and Auction this last Saturday, and the recent news that the Starbucks across the street from the Tacoma Convention Center is closing (which I assume to mean that said Convention Center is not quite the economic generator envisioned), Imagine Tacoma considers what turning the Convention Center INTO the LeMay Museum might be:

INTERIOR
Plenty of room to display a significant portion of the collection while still maintaining the ballroom for special functions – and the main convention floor was designed to support semi-trucks so there is plenty enough structural support. Instead of hanging bits of wood from the ceiling – maybe some cars (ala the SAM Lobby)?

EXTERIOR – (Just a few enhancements required)
15th Street Terminus
Because Downtown Tacoma did/does not have a Master Plan to guide its development, the bLINK , and thus the location of the Convention Center, were political decisions that did not accurately weigh the urban design consequences of terminating Broadway at South 15th Street (sort of like the Sounder Crossing of Pacific Avenue is today). So, at least improve this consequence by creating an appropriately scaled focus to the Broadway Avenue terminus (and maybe add some water fountains to improve the building’s feng shui).

Pedestrian Hillclimb Connection
Without the need for the large loading dock facility for the convention center off Market Street, envision a pedestrian connection from Market Street direct to Tollefson Plaza (for bus/streetcar access and additional parking).

Tollefson Plaza Fence
Given the deserted ‘arid’ condition of the existing plaza, how about a Tacoma spin on Cadillac Ranch? A line of 9 vehicles on-end (Toyota Tacomas?) along Pacific Avenue that will provide much needed ‘edge’ protection to the plaza.

With the cash from the sale of the Convention Center to the LeMay Museum, the City of Tacoma could re-invest into the necessary upgrades to the Tacoma Dome and Exhibition Center – and no more will we be Waiting for LeMay.

Filed under: Imagine Tacoma

16 comments

  • RR Anderson September 4, 2008

    now that’s cooking with gas! it gives the tacoma dome a reason for sticking around. Also as a fan of Cadillac ranch, i’m with you 1000%.

    Tired the (un)convention center!

  • RR Anderson September 4, 2008

    I take it back, boe is cooking with ROCKET SAUCE!

  • nos September 4, 2008

    I’ve loved every bit of the Imagine Tacoma series, but the only thing I find agreeable here is that the convention center is an awkward way to end Broadway. and the paint the crosswalks and do something with that damn plaza.

    If the convention center is failing, then it would be good to move something in and lord knows the LeMay thing is taking forever, but I much prefer the separate area near the Tdome for the car meseaum.

  • michael September 5, 2008

    Im usually a big proponent for the building of news structures, but this is not a bad idea at all. actually im convinced that with the money they save, there is a good chance leMay might invest in the city in other ways. the convention center is a nice building that doesn’t see near as much activity as it deserves.

  • michael September 5, 2008

    and by news i definitely meant new.

  • Douglas Tooley September 5, 2008

    RE: Toyota Tacoma, Etc

    Construction to industrial weight loads is a good thing, this is only one example.

    Artist live work studio compatible warehouse space would be another. FWIW, the Seattle Company ActivSpace has built several, with auto oriented uses as part of the design – on the ground floor only.

    Designing parking garages for possible conversion to commercial or residential would be a third, though I don’t think anyone has tried that.

    Oh, on the Toyota Tacoma thing, perhaps that company would kick in a few bucks for ‘naming’ rights???

    -Douglas Tooley

  • Jesse September 5, 2008

    Can you start by buying my Toyota Tacoma? I never drive it anymore…
    But, cool idea! Maybe the convention center really belongs at the T-Dome anyways. The city (or whoever does these things) could add more convention space by the dome. Dome plus convention equals “value added”. You know? Plus it’s right at the end of the Sounder. This idea sort of puts “like” items together. This way the museums are all together and close enough to attract actual tourists in that area.
    Now, if Tacoma only had an ACTUAL shopping district downtown, we may be set.
    On a completely seperate note, can you do an “Imagine Tacoma” with a shopping mall and district, where it would be, and such. That’d be fun. Crush the suburban mall! Bring back shopping downtown!
    Love your articles!

  • Mofo from the Hood September 5, 2008

    The convention center is a very high profile building. I always look for it while driving west towards town on the 705.

    Car museum? Tacoma, the Detroit of the West?

    I think it looks like a sports complex. Like maybe the future home of Tacoma’s pro basketball team—-The Tacoma Toyotas.

  • RR Anderson September 5, 2008

    i have a better basketball team name Mr. Mofo…. THE TOLLEFSON SQUARES!

  • cy September 7, 2008

    The only large-scale re-use car museum is the Peterson, and they are even struggling with the space and trying to raise another nine figures to fix it. The LeMay Museum is pretty much as slowed down as any of the capital campaigns in this national economy. How long did MOG take?

  • michaeld September 7, 2008

    Use the money to fix up the TDome? NO.

    Use it to fix our streets, sidewalks, and hire a crew to paint crosswalks in the City.

    The Council and Mayor would be like a bunch of drunken sailors going to a whore house if the City sold the TCC to LeMay museum.

    I like the idea of putting LeMay there and get the City out of convention center business. Oh wait, they’d have to hire a “consultant” to tell them what to do.

  • Mofo from the Hood September 7, 2008

    Mr. Anderson @12:

    Yeah, I’ve already suggested chain link fence and hoops for Tollefson Square but I didn’t generate any interest. So if team Tollefson Squares plays against team Tacoma Toyotas anytime soon then I’m thinkin’ the game is gonna go down at Wright Park. The victory celebration with liquid refreshments and all that can take place in front of the convention center. Plus day long free rides and mobile victory party on the Link.

    And there’s the beauty of the convention center as it is right now. I often ride my bike past the place and no one is around. A full-on party in front of it with spill-over into Tollefson Square wouldn’t even be noticed.

    Now here’s a theory about the convention center that may prove true: I think it’s probable that the convention center with its prominent contemporary design and high profile location was part of a covert plan to relocate city hall in a grand way that the public would never agree to. You might recall that the initial plans for the center included an observation tower. If that had been built then Tacoma would have had a monument that strongly alluded to the federal power symbol, the Washington Monument.

    Mr. Anderson, I have a passing familiarity with your extensive writings and I trust that you understand the nature of conspiracy theories. As you may agree, we cannot know all mysteries that transpire in the hidden councils of Tacoma.

    Furthermore, I would welcome your insight as to the real intent of Mr. Boe’s car musuem fantasy.

  • RR Anderson September 8, 2008

    cant beat the art deco styling of our current city hall, though the idea of conventioncenter cityhall is intriguing.

    i suspect Boe is no fan of parking garages, and the LeMay Museum is essentially one giant expensive parking garage with every stall pre-filled.

    I believe the convention center to be a criminal waste of taxpayer money. Whatismore, when they had the quasi-millitary/security contractor weapons/gear convention that attracted blackwater-goon types and freedom loving activists alike it was our faithful RIOT RAINBOW SUCCESS POSITIVE TPD out in force.

    Will the quilting convention draw as much opportunity for the global goon exchange index (GGEI)? That remains to be seen.

    We’ve got to stop these silly pet projects and get back to basics. we’ve got to make fixing roads and providing a stable backdrop of city services THE sexy thing to do.

    maybe this is the first step? Recycling failed pet projects and moving on?

  • cy September 8, 2008

    It will be interesting to see what they build after the hyping by former city leaders.

  • STL September 10, 2008

    I like the car museum idea, but take it a step further. Consider a LeMay lease/multipurpose use of the Convention Center. Part of the building is the museum, part can be used for convention events and still generate income on a more realistic scale. A partnership, if you will, between LeMay and the city. We’d get another cool museum, the city would get income and still have a place to host hordes of out-of-towners. Everybody wins.

    Oh and as for the Cadillac Ranch — been there walked the field. Seen the destruction of the cars over time. Very cool, very vulnerable. But Tollefson no doubt very much in need of an art installation, not to mention trees.

  • Mofo from the Hood September 10, 2008

    Convention Center / Car Museum / Driver Training School / Driver Licensing Bureau / Park-N-Sell / Car Themed Apparel / Gas Station / Tire Store / Oil Change Depot…