The Tacoma Municipal Building Exterior Preservation Project is an effort to refurbish and preserve this historic landmark.

The exterior of the Tacoma Municipal Building has undergone various assessments to identify cleaning and preservation needs. Prior to City ownership the building was sandblasted multiple times for cleaning. The sandblasting removed the smooth finish from the cast stone, causing it to become more porous. This has led to accelerated deterioration, including organic growth, water intrusion, cracking, and spalling.

Based on the completed assessments, full refurbishment of the building exterior is anticipated to exceed $20 million. Preservation of the building exterior will be completed through a phased approach. The City has allocated $4.5 million for the first phase, with ongoing efforts to secure additional funding for future phases.

Project Background:

Building History:

• Officially dedicated January 29, 1931, as the Rhodes Medical Arts Building , the Tacoma Municipal Building is listed on local, state, and National Registers of Historic Places.
• The City purchased the building c. 1976, and the first City Council meeting was held on December 18, 1979.

Recent Efforts:

• In May 2021, a comprehensive assessment of the building exterior was completed by Richaven Architecture & Preservation.
• In July 2024, additional observations were conducted by Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) to develop construction documents for the Phase 1 work.

The initial phase will focus on cleaning and preservation work to the cast stone on the east façade (St. Helens) and west façade (Market Street) and is scheduled to advertise for competitive solicitation in spring 2025.