Two city-owned historic buildings could be sold next month as part of a development proposal that would bring housing, commercial, and retail spaces to a busy corner of Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood.

According to documents prepared by City of Tacoma staff, the half-acre, city-owned properties, which include four parcels (1110, 1114, 1120 and 1124 Martin Luther King Jr. Way), could be sold for $100,000 to a development partnership that includes Tacoma Housing Authority and MLK Rehab. The partnership has proposed turning the four parcels into high-quality market-rate and subsidized housing with street-level commercial and retail spaces.

The MLK Rehab project will preserve the two historic buildings — the Pochert Building, located at 1110 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, and the Kellogg-Sicker Building, located at 1114 Martin Luther King Jr. Way — and redevelop them for market-rate housing on the upper floors and retail spaces on the ground floor. Construction would begin this year and be completed late next year. Last month, Tacoma City Council approved a resolution placing the two buildings on the city’s register of historic places. The Kellogg-Sicker Building and the Pochert Building date back to 1906 and 1904, respectively, and were designed by pioneer Tacoma architect Carl August Darmer. Both buildings, which sit vacant today, were purchased by the City of Tacoma in 2005.

Additionally, Tacoma Housing Authority plans to develop the remaining two parcels located at 1120 and 1124 Martin Luther King Jr. Way — as new construction of three to five floors and about 40 to 50 units of workforce affordable housing, according to city staff. Construction would begin in 2016.

The parcels were appraised by Puget Sound Appraisal last month.

Tacoma City Council’s Economic Development Committee is scheduled to discuss the plan during a meeting on Tues., July 30 at 10 a.m. at City Hall. Copies of the agenda, meeting materials, and purchase and sale agreement are available online here. Tacoma City Council is tentatively scheduled August 13 to consider a resolution to approve the deal.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index‘s complete and comprehensive coverage of the Kellogg‐Sicker Building and Pochert Building landmark nominations, click on the following links:

• 2 Hilltop buildings now historic Tacoma landmarks (Tacoma Daily Index, 06/26/13)
• 2 Hilltop buildings could be added to Tacoma’s historic register (Tacoma Daily Index, 06/11/13)
• 2 Tacoma Hilltop buildings move closer to historic landmark status (Tacoma Daily Index, 02/27/13)
• Inside Tacoma’s Kellogg-Sicker, Pochert Buildings (Tacoma Daily Index, 02/12/13)
• Tacoma commission to consider historic landmark nomination for Browne’s Star Grill (Tacoma Daily Index, 02/01/13)
• Hilltop’s Browne’s Star Grill building nominated to Tacoma’s historic register (Tacoma Daily Index, 11/14/12)
• Council approves Hilltop properties purchase: though one development deal is stalled, interest in properties is sparked (Tacoma Daily Index, 09/21/05)
• Council weighs options for Hilltop development (Tacoma Daily Index, 08/31/05)
• Council to discuss Hilltop properties acquisition and disposition (Tacoma Daily Index, 08/29/05)
• Council to consider purchasing three Hilltop properties (Tacoma Daily Index, 09/19/05)
• Council to consider purchasing three Hilltop properties (Tacoma Daily Index, 09/14/05)
• Council to consider purchasing three Hilltop properties (Tacoma Daily Index, 09/12/05)