The Wonder Bread Building - A Few More Details
Following up on the discussion that came out of the City Council Meeting this week, we’ve uploaded the Public Notice for the Wonder Bread building at Sixth and Sprague. During the meeting, council mentioned some specifics about the potential project for the old space. They mentioned stucco. They mentioned parking spaces. It all comes down to parking after all …
So, if you want to see the site plan, notes and all the glorious parking spaces, you can download the document here (5.4mb pdf).
Filed under: General
15 comments
T Thorax O'Tool April 8, 2010
1) I will be impressed if they get financing.
2) I will be very impressed if they actually build it without the project ending up as a fubar
3) I will be pleased if there was a for-real bread bakery that moves in there.
M Mike April 8, 2010
Here we go again… Exit133 shilling for the stucco and asphalt industries.
R RR Anderson April 8, 2010
What do you call that crown molding look across the roofline of a building? Because it looks like barf.
J Jake April 8, 2010
What are the new details?
That document was made public in March 2009 and I blogged about it then.
D Derek staff April 8, 2010
Jake – We didn’t say new. This was just the referenced document that came up in the meeting and several folks asked that we post it. So, we posted it again.
J Jose Carumba April 8, 2010
I don’t like the way it fronts onto 7th street and the homes there. I doubt they can fill the shops with so many other little mini strip-malls in the area.
S Sara Sandefur April 8, 2010
This building is quite literally right in my backyard. While the current building and its associated razor wire & graffiti is nothing beautiful to look at from my kitchen window, I’m not excited about staring at 47 empty parking spaces and giant “For Lease” signs, either. The building fronts onto 7th and is surrounded by some of the sketchier properties of Hilltopia. I’m just not sure who would want to lease there. Half the houses on our block are already vacant – more empty property is just what we need. My bigger fear is that they’ll demo the current building, lose financing, and then I’ll have a giant vacant lot in my backyard just like 11th & MLK.
J Jim C April 8, 2010
Although I am certain that no building at all is an improvement over a decrepit vacant structure, I wish this developer the best of luck. I live down by Stadium High and avoid this intersection as if it were a virulent, flesh-eating plague. If I’m headed west north of 6th I take 21st and south I take 19th. For this same reason, the proposal of the streetcar route down Division/6th perplexes me (there’s nothing there people need until you pass Pearl Street!!!! Unless, of course, you are in the market for crafting supplies or vacuum repair.)
Businesses that cater to random pedestrians that wander by after visiting the check-cashing shop will probably do well.
J Jim C April 8, 2010
It’s times like these I wish you had a comment edit function on your site – after posting I realized that I didn’t explain that I avoid the intersection because of the long wait at the light that is a result of three arteries and a couple of side streets coming together in a grid-plan-correction gone awry, not because of the nature of the socioeconomic background of the people hanging out at check-cashing place and bus stop at the intersection. That is all.
A Andrew April 8, 2010
Jim C,
Why can’t it be both?
N Nick April 9, 2010
@Jim C
Nothing on 6th until Pearl? Are we talking about the same city? When was the last time you did go down 6th?
Sounds like it’s been a while – you should check it out. It’s one of the most thriving business districts in Tacoma.
D drizell April 9, 2010
Another strip mall in Tacoma…blah! This building is a joke and probably doesn’t even require an architect’s services. The urban design aspect fails on so many levels.
J Jim C April 9, 2010
nick@12: Heh – OK, another correction: nothing there I need. I didn’t mean to flame, and 6th is great area, I am actually down there quite often, but not out of necessity. Necessity takes me elsewhere. Maybe someday my vacuum will break…
M Morgan April 10, 2010
Other cities would look at this building as an asset – even a rusty jewel.
One question: is it the city of Tacoma with its antiquated AND arbitrary building requirements that is going to bring this building down or is it the desire of the owners?
The fact that the city made such a huge mistake and zoned this property residential astounds me. It has been a commercial property for only about 100 years.
It appears that one arm of the city is trying to encourage economic development with tools like historic preservation financial incentives, while another arm is encouraging the destruction of these same properties (set backs?! more off street parking?! SHRUBBERY?!)
J Jenyum April 11, 2010
er… fairly certain someone’s trying to put an indoor airsoft facility in this space. (Which I’m fairly certain doesn’t involve any fancy remodeling.)
No, it’s not us. My husband’s not big on having airsoft guns anywhere near a school.
Anyway… might want to find out if these development plans are at all a go at the moment?
And to the person who thinks there’s nothing on 6th Avenue: whah? If you don’t eat out or drink coffee or alcohol I guess I can understand. Check it out on Farmers Market days in the summer though and I think you’ll be surprised.