SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Former tallest building in Tacoma sold off to Seattle developer
Jan 4, 2017, 12:43 PM | Updated: 12:52 pm
The Washington Building in Tacoma was sold and will eventually be converted into an apartment building. (Visitor7/WikiCommons)
.jpg#filelinks){kind=link}
A tower that once held the title of tallest building in Tacoma will be converted into apartments.
The Puget Sound Business Journal reports the 18-story Washington Building was sold to Seattle’s Unico Properties.
Unico, which owns and operates more than 13 million square feet of office, medical, and multifamily buildings throughout the western United States, spent $9.8 million to acquire the tower that opened in 1925. The seller spent $9.6 million on the building in 2005, according to the Business Journal.
Related: Former Kenmore seminary could become a hotel
The building has had its share of issues. In May, the Tacoma News Tribune reported that the building was slowly falling apart. One tenant who had an office there told the Tribune that there are heating and cooling issues. The Tribune reported that “plants grow from the ledges … and cracks snake through the terracotta tiles.”
The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Now, Unico will begin the process of transforming the 124,200 square-foot office building into apartments.
The purchase of the Washington Building continues the trend of developers snatching up aging properties and re-purposing them. In Tacoma, the McMenamin brothers are aiming to open a new hybrid hotel, restaurant, music venue and brewpub in the old Elk’s Lodge by this summer — the first McMenamins opened in Bothell.
Elsewhere, developers are either turning old buildings into apartments, or, in some cases, parking lots.
Unico is aiming to open the Washington Building apartments by summer of 2018.
Follow @https://twitter.com/mynorthwest
Jake: Calls grow to fire SPD chief, but would Katie Wilson’s replacement be any better?
SPD Chief Barnes has his problems, but he might be better than whoever Mayor Katie Wilson would pick to replace him.
12 minutes ago
Investigation revealed ‘devastating’ reports of sexual misconduct at school supported by Epstein
DETROIT (AP) — Two people who attended a prestigious Michigan fine arts school reported conduct of a sexual nature by Jeffrey Epstein, a major donor, according to an investigation that also uncovered dozens of allegations spanning decades against nearly 50 other people. Interlochen Center for the Arts operates a summer camp and performing arts school […]
22 minutes ago
Elon Musk’s xAI sues Minnesota over its first-in-the-nation law banning ‘nudification’ technology
Elon Musk’s company xAI has sued Minnesota over the state’s first-in-the-nation law that bans “nudification” technology on websites and apps, potentially providing a test for how far states can go in constitutionally regulating the use of artificial intelligence. Musk’s company sued Monday in federal court, days before the law is set to take effect Saturday […]
32 minutes ago
‘Pleading the Fifth’ invokes a constitutional amendment that has a long history in US society
NEW YORK (AP) — It was important enough to the framers of the U.S. Constitution to be included in the first 10 amendments known as the Bill of Rights — that no person “shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.” As part of the Fifth Amendment, the right against […]
38 minutes ago
Malls, once symbols of American consumer culture, are splitting. Some are dying as others thrive
LIVINGSTON, N.J. (AP) — I wasn’t a mall rat. Growing up in the 1970s, I didn’t hang out much with my friends at my local mall in New Jersey. The Livingston Mall, which opened in 1972 with stores including Bamberger’s, Sears and Hahne & Co., may have been a bustling social scene for my peers. […]
49 minutes ago
Trump is set to announce a $22B makeover of Dulles airport that will eliminate the ‘people movers’
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is expected Wednesday to announce a $22 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked “people movers,” the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travelers to and from the main terminal. The airport makeover would expand a […]
51 minutes ago
Sponsored Articles
AC not cooling during Seattle heat wave? 4 things to check before calling for emergency repair
As temperatures climb across the Seattle area, many homeowners are discovering that their air conditioner is running but not cooling the home effectively.
How Puget Sound homeowners can spot a trustworthy roofer (and avoid the scams making headlines)
The scammers share a playbook: Arrive uninvited, claim to see damage, start work before the homeowner has time to think. If you are a homeowner in the Puget Sound area, these seven steps can protect you from being a victim in the next scam.
June is National Men’s Health Month: Advancing prostate cancer treatment while preserving quality of life
One in eight men will hear the words "you have prostate cancer" in their lifetime. Unfortunately, many men tend to overlook the importance of preventative care.
Why this Queen Anne senior community is one of Seattle’s most unique places to grow older
Award-winning Aegis Living Queen Anne Rodgers Park offers assisted living and memory care with a vibrant, Seattle-rooted lifestyle.
When is the best time to see whales in the Salish Sea?
Each of the four whale species in our waters follows its own seasonal rhythm, and understanding those patterns is the key to planning your experience.
Why 45 is the new 50: The updated playbook for colon cancer screenings
Colon cancer is one of the most common and deadliest types of cancer, and routine screenings are the best way to reduce your chances of becoming a statistic.