Tacoma’s Landmarks Preservation Commission is scheduled Wednesday to get its first look at signage planned for the new $16 million Tioga Library Building currently under construction on the University of Washington Tacoma campus.

In June 2010, the commission approved the demolition of the JET Annex Building to make way for the new library. Though built in 1952, the old building was deemed non-contributing to the historic neighborhood, which is part of the Union Depot/Warehouse Historic Special Review District and Union Station Conservation District. The new four-story building, located at 1902 Jefferson St., is designed to complement the historical brick architecture of the city and the campus. It will be connected to the library by a skybridge and will address both library and campus functional needs. The basement and first two floors will provide additional library stacks and student study space, and reconfiguring the space in the current library is also under way. Occupancy of the basement, first and second floors is scheduled for August 2012. The third and fourth floors will be completed upon identification of additional funding and program needs for the University.

This week’s meeting will serve as a design review to allow commissioners to comment on the new signage. According to an application submitted by University of Washington Tacoma officials, the aluminum sign would depict the university’s iconic ‘W’ logo — a single block letter made of aluminum, painted purple, and measuring approximately seven feet high by approximately eight feet wide. At night, the sign would be illuminated with LED backlit halo-design lighting. The $30,000 sign, which would be installed on the fifth floor of the new building’s east elevation on Hood Street, was designed by Kelly Brandon Design of Port Ludlow.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission will discuss the issue during its meeting on Weds., May 23 at 5 p.m. in the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street, Room 248. A copy of the agenda and meeting materials is online at http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/cedd/TacomaCulture/Historic/2012/documents/LPC_Packet_052312.pdf .

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At UW Tacoma, a bridge to knowledge — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=2120865&more=0

UW Tacoma marks ‘topping out’ milestone for Tioga Library Building — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=2088632&more=0

A bird’s-eye view of UW Tacoma’s Tioga Library construction project — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=2041523&more=0