Tacoma Condo Tour 2009 this Weekend
It’s been a long time since we’ve talked about condos in Tacoma. If you happen to be in the market, this weekend is your chance to check out the condo opportunities in our real estate market. The 2009 Tacoma Condo Tour is this weekend, May 16th and 17th from 11 am to 4 pm.
Start at the historic Pantages Theater, where you will find maps, brochures and literature on each of the properties. From there, head out to some of the properties within Tacoma or take the short scenic drive up to Ruston to view others.
This year is unlike the others. The number of projects is a bit less than a few years ago … Still, these folks are trying.
Participating Properties
27th Street Station
505 Broadway
Apex Penthouses
The Commencement
Point Ruston
The Roberson on Ledger Square
More information at TacomaCondoTour.com
Filed under: General
17 comments
B boomer May 14, 2009
They should just re-name this the “Tacoma Apartment Tour” (because we can’t sell’em!)
T Teabagged May 14, 2009
Are these condos being sold with the promise of no-taxes for 10 years- like all the others. If so we should stage an old fashioned taxation protest but with a twist- “Representation without taxation-unfair!”
T Thorax O'Tool May 14, 2009
What, no representation from the Esplanade?
Or 27th Street Station? Of Hannah & Chelsea Hts? Or people peddling the Midtown Lofts?
I guess I’ll give them props for trying.
Condos ain’t coming back to the way they were between 2003 and 2006.
W West Ender May 14, 2009
Yes these folks are trying…. to sell overpriced Condos, too bad they couldn’t unload them soon enough. Suckers.
Agree with Teabagged, why should snooty buyers of high end condos get a tax break?
9 98402 May 14, 2009
Snooty buyers of high end condos? Please, I live in one and really enjoy it. The people are friendly, involved in the community, and generally work in the downtown area. Tax breaks were meant to clean up some of the “tough” areas of Tacoma. Remember 10-15 years ago what Tacoma had in the downtown area. The city is doing a great job at redefining Tacoma and we are still in the beginning stages.
F Frizzlebee May 14, 2009
Does anybody know if they are providing busses again or are we needed to drive ourselves around?
As for the tax break, is it only condo owners who get the break, or is it also for houses?
B Brett May 14, 2009
If you are in the area, check out 505 Broadway. I previewed it a few months ago and it’s worth the visit.
M Morty May 14, 2009
94802 is right, if the city is providing tax breaks it is because the city realizes that the long term benefits of having a stable home owning middle class in down town will outweigh initial short term tax losses , The benefits include more local goods and services used, greater civic participation, and pride of ownership, etc, and as 98402 said, the people are typically nice.
Everybody wins.
C crenshaw sepulveda May 14, 2009
It seems to me that the tax break did little to entice people into buying these properties and the selling price often reflects the tax break built in so the condos tend to cost more when purchased. If there is a tax break involved the price will be higher when you go buy the property. Pay now, save later.
J Jim C May 14, 2009
Erik B: that is an excellent response to the condo-bashers, and I count myself among them: look at the alternatives! Screw the tax abatement-scrounging millionaire snobs, let’s all go live in prefabs on twofer lots in Graham… E pluribus unum.
A altered Chords May 15, 2009
Living in Graham isolates one from the downtown area. It’s not Paris, NYC or Hong Kong here but you won’t find places like the Matador, Masa, Primo Grill, El Gaucho etc in Graham.
On a sunny day like this, focus on the positives people.
If you don’t like condos, buy a house in the Lincoln district. You will not find a better neighbor than Altered Chords. I will even lend a cup of sugar, a cup of milk or a 22 oz. Kilt Lifter scottish ale to a neighbor. I might even mow my 7” lawn this weekend in order to avoid a notice from the Code Enforcement officer.
J Jim C May 15, 2009
Hey AC: /sarcasm
I say I count myself among the condo-bashers because I have also questioned mightily the incentivization of wasteful development – BUT: I am city kid through and through. Personally (and I fully intend to offend someone with this comment, so I apologize in advance) I think the best thing we could do to position Western WA for the future would be to evacuate Puyallap and Federal Way, level everything with fission bombs and start over. And I’m serious.
Kilt Lifter’s one of my favorites – have you ever tried Rogue’s Chipotle Ale? Despite the scary premise, it actually has a super-big flavor similar to a Scotch Ale’s, try that one sometime if you come across it…
E EW May 15, 2009
I love the tax incentive. Ten years ago, I wouldn’t step foot in downtown, or drive there if I could avoid it. Now, with UWT, the museums, restaurants … and yes, the condos that have been built, the area has cleaned up ten-fold. I am amazed at how far it’s come. I LOVE this city! I’ll gladly accept the new condos over some of the crappy, dilapidated garbage that was there before.
J jdub May 16, 2009
whatever happened to growth management boundries?
J jdub May 16, 2009
growth management? Study what Portland did in the 80s,
remember, Portland was a forgotten podunk town that was just a blip between seattle and San Francisco. They did some things right. Then again, they are the biggest town in Oregon, the biggest town in Washington, well, still gets to tunnel the rest of us under . . .so it goes. . . .Sometimes, it’s all about the political force and postion. Who will speak for Tacoma/south puget sound and reach the stature and level of government to do that? I can’t think of anyone at the moment.
The only hope is that the gov needs Pierce County for votes, so she may listen for five minutes from us before heading off to listen to Bellveue for 20 minutes.
J Jesse May 16, 2009
jdub: If Tacoma hasn’t looked at what Portland did in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s to redefine that town, they need to. Take their ideas. There’s no need to “try” anything when you can take ideas from a similar town like Portland and know they’ve been already tried and they work.
I grew up in Portland. It was a crappy town with vacant lots and run down industrial buildings right out of DT in the Pearl & Lloyd districts. Hell, the Pearl was where people went to meet their drug dealer or a prostitute until about 1995. You wouldn’t DARE go north of Burnside (into the earl) at night until about 2002. Now it’s a model of what a livable and vibrant DT can do and be.
Portland of 1985 reminds me so very much of Tacoma today. We’ll get there if the right decisions are made.
T tressie May 17, 2009
the condos were not built for middle income/class buyers…they should have been priced at least 25% to 50% lower and could have been. And if that would have happened they’d be mostly sold on their own merits by now, instead of sitting there vacant and staring into the void of another misguided attempt to do something to Tacoma instead of with her.