The City of Tacoma’s Landmarks Preservation (LPC) Commission has unanimously approved the preliminary boundary for a proposed historic district in the city’s Wedge neighborhood.

The decision, which was made during the LPC’s March 25 meeting, means the proposed district would stretch north to south from Division Avenue to Sixth Avenue, and zig-zag in several places along the eastern border: the alley between South L Street and South M Street; the alley between South M Street and South Sheridan Avenue; and a portion of South M Street near Sixth Avenue (see map here — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1514668&more=0 ).

The LPC is expected to make a final decision on the district’s boundary May 13. Until then, the commission will hold a series of public meetings for Wedge residents and interested parties to comment on the “working boundary.” The commission will also conduct a public opinion survey of property owners. Both efforts could modify the boundary approved this week.

— 500 BLOCK OF SOUTH L STREET EXCLUDED —

The March 25 decision impacts two key aspects of the proposed historic district.

First, the boundary excludes a row of homes on the 500 block of South L Street. The block includes nine homes dating back between 1890 and 1906, and owned by five different individual owners. Earlier this year, Paul Post, who owns four homes on the block, told the LPC that he and other owners would oppose the historic district nomination if it included the block. Similarly, MultiCare Health System, which operates a large medical campus that borders the block, wrote a letter to the commission arguing the 500 block of South L Street should be left out of the Wedge Historic District.

On Wednesday, Post presented a letter that further expressed property owners’ opposition. “We, the undersigned property owners of the 500 block of South L Street, west side, are adamently [sic] opposed to the inclusion of our properties in the boundry [sic] of the proposed Wedge Historic District,” states the letter. “Our reasons may vary, but we are united in our opposition.”

Staff also recommended excluding the block from the historic district boundary. In a March 25 memo detailing boundary recommendations to the commission, Tacoma Historic Preservation Officer Reuben McKnight recommended excluding the block because of the opposition and its location away from the rest of the neighborhood.

“The commission can reasonably expect that a majority of owners will oppose the nomination,” wrote McKnight. “[T]his block is isolated from the core district, making it difficult to rationally connect with the core district.”

Char Cooper, a Wedge resident and leading proponent of the historic district, agreed with the decision. “With the opposition from property owners on that block, we would have been fighting an uphill battle we couldn’t win,” she said.

— MULTICARE-OWNED HOMES INCLUDED —

Another key issue decided this week: whether to include a block bordered by South 4th and South M Streets, where MultiCare owns four homes. Three of the MultiCare-owned homes are vacant, and another is leased to a single family. The homes are located at 1216 So. 4th St. (built in 1925); 1218 So. 4th St. (built in 1923); 417 So. M St. (built in 1905); and 407 So. M St. (built in 1908). The block also includes three other homes not owned by MultiCare. The block is currently zoned for residential use.

Last month, MultiCare asked that the four heritage homes be excluded from the proposed district boundary. But in his memo, McKnight recommended including the homes. “MultiCare’s stated position is that it does not want properties within its ownership included in the district,” wrote McKnight. “However, the subject properties are also predominantly historically intact.”

This week, Brett Santhuff, Vice President of Historic Tacoma’s Board of Directors, submitted a letter on behalf of the organization “applauding” the historic district.

“Overall, we are in agreement with the staff memorandum regarding district boundaries provided in the Commission packet for the March 25 meeting,” writes Santhuff. “We . . . recommend including the 400 block of South M Street to the alley which is intact, cohesive with the proposed district, and is primarily zoned [residential].”

Santhuff and Historic Tacoma also agreed with the staff recommendation to exclude the 500 block of South L Street. Santhuff added, “The 500 block does however include many early homes. If at some future date some of these lots are vacated, we support relocating these homes to receiving sites in other neighborhoods, rather than demolition.”

MultiCare spokesperson Todd Kelley said the company would continue to follow the LPC’s nomination process. According to Kelley, the company supports the residents’ wishes to create a historic district, but it wants some flexibility and control over the properties it owns. “Now that the houses have been included, we have to wait and see,” he said.

“The homes have no historical significance,” said John D. Barline, an attorney representing MultiCare, referring to the four MultiCare homes included in the working boundary. “They’re not like the Titlow Mansion or the Mars residence. These are just old homes. They qualify because of their age.” When asked whether MultiCare would fight to exclude the homes, Barline said, “We don’t know the answer.”

— A NEIGHBORHOOD RICH IN HISTORY —

The Wedge neighborhood is a part of Tacoma that boasts more than 50 homes dating back 80 years or more. It’s also where Tacoma pioneer Aaron Titlow, candy company entrepreneurs Frank and Ethel Mars, and Titanic survivor Anne Kincaid resided. And its ringed by Wright Park, the North Slope Historic District, and many of the city’s oldest churches.

On June 27, the Tacoma Wedge Association Historic Subcommittee submitted an application to McKnight seeking historic district designation for the area. Though the neighborhood is zoned for residential use (R2SRD — Residential Special Review District), the nomination aims to further preserve the neighborhood’s character and history, and prevent any unforeseen instances similar to the demolition of nearby First United Methodist Church. Three years ago, the congregation sold its 1916 church building to MultiCare for $8 million; it was later demolished to make room for a hospital expansion. The building was located one block from the Wedge neighborhood’s eastern border.

According to a cover letter prepared by the subcommittee and included with the application, the group is requesting district status for residential properties, and has asked that commercial and non-residential buildings be excluded should the area receive the designation.

“We believe that the Wedge area has historic relevance and should be considered to have merit in the establishment of a Tacoma Wedge Historical District,” the letter states.
Five historic districts exist in Tacoma. Three are listed on the local Tacoma Register (Old City Hall, Union Depot / Warehouse, and North Slope); four are listed on the National Register (Old City Hall, Union Depot / Warehouse, North Slope, and Stadium / Seminary); and four are listed on the Washington Heritage Register (Old City Hall, Union Depot / Warehouse, North Slope, and Salmon Beach).

In 1999, an effort to create a historic district in the city’s Old Town neighborhood failed after some homeowners feared the designation would limit their abilities to modify or develop their properties.

In 2007, a small group of homeowners in the city’s Whitman area began an effort to create a historic district in their neighborhood (see Tacoma Daily Index, “Status Seekers,” 07/03/07).

Last year, Historic Tacoma included the Wedge neighborhood in its list of nine architecturally, culturally and historically significant sites on a “Watch List” of endangered historic properties.

— A LONG REVIEW PROCESS —

The LPC began to review the nomination Sept. 10. Since then, the commission has held a series of public meetings to discuss several elements of the application, such as district boundaries, buildings inventory, and the neighborhood’s historic significance.

The process is expected to continue through July. The city’s planning commission will also review the request. On March 4, commissioners met Wedge residents, property owners, and MultiCare officials for a walking tour of the neighborhood. The LPC will conduct a public opinion survey of Wedge property owners May 27 to gauge support or opposition of the plan. It will also host a public hearing June 24 before making a final decision July 22. The nomination will also be reviewed by the city’s planning commission.

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For earlier Index coverage of the Wedge Historic District nomination, read the following articles online:

1. Will Tacoma’s Wedge neighborhood go historic? (09/05/08) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1318920&more=0

2. A Slice of History: Two meetings will explore Wedge historic district nomination (09/23/08) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1355266&more=0

3. MultiCare, Wedge residents discuss hospital expansion, historic district effort (10/02/08) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1385425&more=0

4. MultiCare weighs in on Wedge historic district nomination (02/09/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1485714&more=0

5. Big decision ahead for proposed Wedge historic district (02/11/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1487900&more=0

6. New timeline for Wedge historic district review (02/18/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1491340&more=0

7. A Hike through History (03/05/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1502432&more=0

8. Decision expected this week on preliminary Wedge Historic District boundary (03/24/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1514668&more=0

On March 4, the LPC went on a walking tour of the Wedge neighborhood. For photos from the tour, visit the Index’s blog at http://i.feedtacoma.com/TDI-Reporters-Notebook/walking-wedge-photos-from-neighborhood/ .

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