One Year Ago Today - Remembering the Luzon
Hardly a week goes by without mention in Tacoma press or blogs of the fall of the Luzon Building. The sting of its destruction is still sharp in the community’s consciousness even though it had been unoccupied for years. Perhaps it provided a dark and somewhat violent symbol for the cost of “pragmatism” during these years of financial chaos. Much has been lost in the effort to keep budgetary heads above water. But when this proud and epic piece of architectural history was so suddenly gone, despite the arguable feasibility of its preservation, all of these losses suddenly felt tangible and jagged. Where it once stood, the masonry of the foundation cuts serrated against the backdrop of empty parking lots, leaving us with the sense that our vigilance must be our gift to the future.
Tonight, (September 26) from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, a group of artists and historic preservationists will gather at the Luzon site on S. 13th and Pacific to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the demolition. If you attend, you are encouraged to dress as your favorite historic structure in Tacoma. There will be a small parade, cake and a surprise guest speaker.
(Photograph provided by Jessica Spring)
Tacoma Daily Index also has a nice piece on today’s commemorative events here.
Filed under: General
8 comments
C crenshaw sepulveda September 26, 2010
Hey, it was blocking the view of the Pacific Plaza, it had to go. Those Pacific Plaza people can get what ever they want. Want the Luzon gone, poof it is gone and we’ll make the owners of the Luzon pay for the demolition. Want a Link stop at your door, poof, it is done, even in this economy we’ll make sure Pacific Plaza has a link stop.
D Dave_L September 27, 2010
Thanks for the coverage Daniel and TDI.
I wouldn’t think of being anywhere else tonight. Though it won’t feel much like party party to me. Wake, maybe. I’ve seen the plans that were to be used for the Luzon’s restoration, and worked on brick buildings in worse structural shape that were stabilized and restored. The sting remains, and it still feels personal.
J Jesse September 27, 2010
I know it’s of little conciliation but perhaps the plans for this block and others on Pacific Avenue can use the magic of brick-ties and creative concrete work to recreate the grand Pacific Ave of yesteryear while building upward at the same time with creative architectural prowess. The street level and the fronts of buildings can look exactly like original with facades and building upward beyond its original formats with glass front buildings. I think that’d be neat.
P PointDexter September 27, 2010
Dateline:.9.26.10:
Except.for.a.few.strays,.the.cult.of.the.Luzon.has.been.effectively.neutralized.
T TacomaTank September 27, 2010
It’s sad but it clearly had to go, the owner of the Pacific Plaza building was having trouble filling his building and when that happens clearly the City needs to : 1. demolish historic structures that the owner dislikes, 2: disregard whatever zoning rules apply to the building so that the owner can get an above market rate lease for a non-conforming use and; 3. construct whatever transportation infrastructure the owner needs or wants. The city does this for all building owners right?
D Dave_L September 28, 2010
Informative and balanced talk (and informal discussion afterward) by Jennifer Mortensen of Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and author of Lost Urgency: The Luzon Building, including some nuances that didn’t fit into the edited print version. Sharon Winters of Historic Tacoma spoke on where we are as a city and where we still are not, and what we can do collectively, and as individuals. It was good to see the massive Fidelity Building, even if only in reduced scale.
[ [email removed] September 28, 2010
what was that little green one Dave L ?
F Florence October 3, 2010
Look at the other buildings in that photo, surrounding the Luzon… especially that gorgeous one across Pacific Avenue. When did they go? Was there an outcry when they were razed? What a crime those are gone, too.