Will Wedge Neighborhood Go Historic?
We’ve heard for some time now about a group of residents in the Wedge neighborhood wanting to turn their area into an historic district. But it looks like that effort is gaining some momentum. Today, Todd Matthews at the Tacoma Daily Index is reporting that the topic will be discussed by the city’s landmarks preservation committee next week. He got a copy of the application, and here are the highlights:
- The Wedge neighborhood includes 67 residential homes built between 1889 and 1928;
- The most unique residential home is the Titlow Mansion, which was built in 1899 and was home to Aaron Titlow, who built Washington State’s first tidewater hotel;
- Homes boast a range of architectural styles, such as Victorian, Craftsman, Foursquare, Dutch Colonial, and Cape Cod.
- The neighborhood – which stretches from Sixth Avenue to Division, and L Street to Sprague – was once home to Tacoma pioneer Aaron Titlow, candy company entrepreneurs Frank and Ethel Mars, and even Titanic survivor Anne Kincaid.
The last effort to create an historic district was in 1999, in Old Town, and it failed largely due to homeowner opposition. Will it work this time?
Link to the Tacoma Daily Index
Filed under: General
3 comments
O onbroadway September 7, 2008
There are indeed some great homes and great history in that area. It will be interesting to see if this is able to have any effect on the individual homes that a Wedge resident told me (?) have been, and are being quietly purchased by MultiCare and left vacant.
O onbroadway September 9, 2008
Word on the street is that MultiCare wants to meet with the Wedge neighborhood late this month to present their “master plan” for the Wedge. I wonder if this is in response to this proposed historical designation. I’d like to see if this meeting clarifies their plans for houses they own such as the 407 S. M (built 1907) and 417 S. M (built 1905). I’d be worried if I owned either of the two historic houses in-between.
A anonymous September 9, 2008
@ 2
indeed, here’s what i’ve heard (via e-mail):
MultiCare has asked to meet with the Wedge neighbors to discuss their master plan expansion (and potential demolition of a house). The meeting is open to all interested parties so please pass along that this meeting will be at 6 pm, Monday, Sept. 29th, at Mary Bridge, 311 S. L Street, in the basement AV room