402 Tacoma 1019 Pacific Avenue, Avenue S., Suite Suite 1216 200 PO Box 1303, TACOMA, WA TACOMA, 98402 WA 98401 PHONE (253) 627-4853 FAX (253) 627-2253
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2013
Vol. CXXIII, No. 248
INSIDE:
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
Visit our Web site at at www.tacomadailyindex.com
LEGAL NOTICES BANKRUPTCIES LIENS ORDERS FEDERAL COURT AUDITORS OFFICE NEW BUSINESSES editor@tacomadailyindex.com
Year In Review
Historic Preservation Legislation
Article and Photo By Todd Matthews, Editor Tacoma's historically significant, yet endangered, buildings received a boost this year thanks to new legislation. In May, the Tacoma Daily Index reported an initiative was under way at City Hall that aimed to bolster the City of Tacoma's enforcement codes in order to prevent instances of so-called "demolition by neglect," the process by which buildings endure crippling, longterm issues such as deferred maintenance, vandalism, or even foreclosure and eventually become too expensive to save in the eyes of building owners ("Tacoma considers plan to save neglected historic buildings from demolition," Tacoma Daily Index, May 31, 2013). In Tacoma, one doesn't need to look far to find instances of endangered historic properties. The 1890sera Luzon Building (pictured) was demolished in 2009 after City inspectors deemed the historically significant building a safety hazard for fear it would collapse after decades of neglect. The 120-year-old Old City Hall has experienced threats of foreclosure, fire damage at the hands of a transient, a 'derelict' designation by city inspectors, and an 'endangered' designation by a local historic preservation group. Finally, the 88-year-old Winthrop Hotel is in need of nearly $16 million in deferred maintenance, according to a report prepared four years ago. After a series of public meetings this summer ("Can legislation save Tacoma's neglected historic buildings?" Tacoma Daily Index, June 6, 2013, and "Public discussion continues on plan to save Tacoma's historic buildings from wrecking ball," Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 5, 2013), Tacoma City Council adopted the "Preventing Neglect of Historic Properties" ordinance on Sept. 17. Some of the strongest elements of the new ordinance, which defines neglect as a public nuisance, apply to properties listed on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places, and to properties within designated historic districts; provide incentives to encourage owners of neglected properties to find new owners with the means and interest to save the historic structure; afford the City of Tacoma the authority to address conditions that threaten historic buildings before they are deemed 'dangerous' and, ultimately, demolished; and finally, allow the City to create an "emergency preservation fund" to tackle deferred maintenance issues that threaten Tacoma's historic buildings. "We want to have the ability to proactively address these issues and create the ability to intervene," said Tacoma Historic Preservation Officer Reuben McKnight.