The Amazing Potential of the Winthrop
We haven’t talked about the Winthrop in a while, but the Tacoma Weekly today has a guest editorial on the amazing potential of the Winthrop. Bill Johnston compares the potential of the Winthrop to that of a renovated historic hotel in Chicago. That hotel has been turned into a student center with housing for several schools in its neighborhood. The Chicago building had come into city ownership before being developed through a partnership between the city and universities.
Johnston describes the repurposed hotel and surrounding streets as abuzz with students and other urban life well into the evening.
I encourage all Tacomans who love this city and believe in its amazing potential to go to the corner of South 9th Street and Broadway and look at that magnificent old building. Imagine it full again but this time with students, seniors and conference attendees. The street-level stores all occupied with bookstores, local businesses and coffee shops as they are in Chicago.
Johnston suggests the potential for a similar partnership between the City of Tacoma and the University of Washington, which will need housing for its Tacoma campus in the future, and possibly even other Tacoma colleges.
The Winthrop has a central location, with a convenient Link stop that could convey students between it and the UWT campus.
It’s not the first time someone has raised the idea of changing the function of the Winthrop, and we’re sure it won’t be the last, but is something different? No one has been able to get the numbers to pencil out in the past. Is now a time to beging thinking about new possibilities for one of Tacoma’s grand old buildings? Are you inspired?
Read Johnston’s full guest editorial from the Tacoma Weekly.
Filed under: Downtown Tacoma, Neighborhoods, Developments, The Winthrop, Tacoma Landmarks
6 comments
R Rob May 10, 2013
One of the continuing challenges for any move to a new use for the Winthrop is finding suitable low-income housing for the people who currently live in the building. If the building was completely unoccupied – like Old City Hall – this kind of creative re-imagination of how the building could be used would be much more straight forward.
R Rize May 10, 2013
As long as low-income renters are not pushed-out – then coo’…
T Terry May 10, 2013
Student housing is the best idea for the Winthrop I’ve heard in awhile. Using such a great space to warehouse low income people just keeps downtown from ever gaining enough momentum to turn into a better place to live. Students, on the other hand, are much more upbeat with a future ahead of them. Long live UW Tacoma!
C Chris May 10, 2013
Shouldn’t the focus be more on Old City Hall? I would classify it as a structure at greater risk of falling into structural disrepair than the Winthrop.
E Erik B. May 10, 2013
Here is what the penthouse of the Winthrop Hotel would look like if it were renovated:
C Christine May 11, 2013
The restoration of the Winthrop should be a priority for downtown Tacoma. For such a gorgeous building with so much potential be wasted as a repository for no-income people is a crime. Having been in the building on many occasions, it is very clear that its current use is as an unfortunate anchor for people of problem behavior and habits. This does not attract people to our downtown. (Yes, not EVERY person there is a problem, but they are the majority.)
I was lucky enough to tour the locked-away spaces of the Winthrop (the ballroom and the penthouse) and the opportunity to convert this building into a building to be enjoyed by the citizens of Tacoma shouldn’t be missed again. The apartments could be remodeled as the existing plans from the real estate boom of 2008, this would be great student housing, market-rate apartments and maybe a floor of short-term use for visitors staying a week or more to perhaps visit the UWT campus or attend an amature sporting event. The public spaces could be restored to the benefit of all of Tacoma’s citizens and visitors.
Perhaps with McMenamin’s opening nearby soon, it will help to revitalize the area as UWT, Harmon Brewing and The Swiss started the reclaimation of the South Pacific and Brewery districts. And before you call me a heartless B*****, I didn’t say to throw the current inhabitants to the streets, there are locations throughout the county that could absorb them in smaller groups.