The North Slope Historic Special Review District, with more than 950 properties, is one of the largest historic districts in the country. It was listed on the Tacoma Register in 1994 (expanded in 1996 and 1999), as well as the Washington State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2003.This district was created in response to an initiative from residents who valued the atmosphere these historic homes create. Few homes in the district are high-style; instead the neighborhood is composed primarily of middle class Victorian, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, and Foursquare houses. They represent a collection of Pacific Northwest versions of the residential architecture popular in the United States prior to World War II.Current residents still take great pride in their historic homes and beautiful streets as they enjoy the traditional neighborhood lifestyle. Street signs mark the extent of the district, which extends from North I Street to North Grant Avenue, and between Division Avenue and Steele Street, along the angle where Tacoma's street grid follows the shoreline and links Old Town (developed in the 1870s) with New Tacoma which was built to meet the railroad line in the 1890s.

North Slope Historic Special Review District Requirements - What Gets Reviewed?

If your house is located within the boundaries of the historic district, then changes to the exterior of your property may require design review by the Landmarks Preservation Commission if permits are required, as stated in TMC 13.07.360. This includes changes to windows, siding, additions, chimneys, porches, and decks.

Your project will require Landmarks Preservation Commission review if:

• It is a new construction project or demolition
• It involves a contributing historic structure 
• It involves exterior work 
• It requires a building permit

Projects are exempt from Landmarks Commission review if:

• The project does not require a permit 
• The project does not involve any exterior work
• The project involves plumbing, sewer, electrical, or landscaping work

Nomination Forms

Tacoma Register Nomination Forms 
1994 Nomination
1996 Expansion
1999 Expansion

National Register Nomination 

2016 National Register Amendment

Additional Links

Wedge Neighborhood and North Slope Historic District Design Guidelines

North Slope Buildings Inventory
The North Slope Historic District Organization

Old City Hall (1892) reflects the grand ambitions of the time. It is an outstanding example of the height of Italianate style in America. Other striking buildings are found throughout the district, including the Northern Pacific Headquarters (1888), the Beaux Arts Elks Temple (1916), and the Winthrop Hotel (1925). Smaller brick buildings also remain as reminders of Whiskey Row, the entertainment district that once thrived on the wages of dock workers and politicians. New uses continue as buildings are rehabilitated for office, retail, and unique urban residences, maintaining the historic character of old Tacoma.

Old City Hall Historic District (TR, WR, NR)
National Register Nomination
Old City Hall Historic District Buildings Inventory

Old City Hall Historic District Design Guidelines

Old City Hall Historic District Walking Tour

 

 

The Union Depot-Warehouse Historic District (National Register of Historic Places-1980; Tacoma Register-1983) flanks Pacific Avenue from South 17th Street to South 23 Street and extends up the hill to Jefferson Avenue. The district is surrounded by the Union Station Conservation District. Properties within the surrounding Union Station Conservation District must also be reviewed for exterior changes.

Architecture in the district is characterized by rugged brick warehouses and factories-- examples of commercial high style and industrial vernacular architecture that developed in America during the early 1900s.
The district was a hub for goods that arrived by railway during the 1890s through the 1920s. Union Station (1911) is a stunning landmark, with its massive arches and copper clad dome. The adaptive reuse of Union Station as a Federal Courthouse earned the City of Tacoma a National Preservation Honor Award in 1994.

In 1999, Tacoma received a second National Preservation Honor Award for the University of Washington, Tacoma’s adaptive reuse of the warehouse buildings along Pacific for its new urban campus. Other buildings in the district are being rehabilitated for use as apartments, businesses, restaurants, and shops. These projects are outstanding examples of historically sensitive adaptive reuse.

National Register Nomination  
Union Depot Buildings Inventory

Union Depot/Warehouse District Design Guidelines

Union Station Historic District Walking Tour

  

The South J Street Historic District was added to the Washington and National Register of Historic Places in 1986. In 1992, it was added to the Tacoma Register of Historic Places as a multi-property listing, instead of a historic district. 

 

The South J Street Historic District is composed of eight late-Victorian detached row houses. These narrow, two-story frame structures were erected in 1889 and 1890 and display a variety of exterior cladding materials and decoration. The houses are very similar in appearance, utilizing only two slightly different designs in a vernacular Queen Anne Style. The repeated bays and gables of these homes create a distinctly rhythmic pattern that is uninterrupted. The eight buildings of this district form the largest group of row houses of this period, quality and style remaining in Washington State. Three of the houses were designed by Proctor and Dennis, a prominent architectural firm in Tacoma. All of the houses were erected by a local building and loan association, which attempted to finance homes for the middle and working classes.

 

National Register Nomination

 

 

 

The Buckley’s Addition Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. It is roughly bordered by North Steele Street, North 8th Street, North Pine Street, and North 21st Street. It includes 592 primary buildings, 430 of which are Historic Contributing properties. Architectural types include Queen Anne, Colonial and Tudor revivals, Foursquare, and Craftsman. The district represents the broad pattern of social and economic history of Tacoma and is a typical early 20th century street-car suburb. The district is named for James M. Buckley, who was the Assistant General Manager of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Buckley purchased several large homestead claims and platted Buckley’s Addition, which was filed on June 12, 1883. Development began in the south section and continued until 1941, when only 8% of the lots were still undeveloped. 

 

National Register of Historic Places Nomination

The College Park Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. The district is 125 acres roughly bordered by North Pine Street on the east; North 21 Street on the north; North Alder Street and North Union Avenue on the west; and North 8th & North 18th adjacent to the University of Puget Sound, on the south. It includes 582 primary buildings, 509 of which are contributing properties. Architectural types include Queen Anne; Colonial and Tudor revivals, Minimal Traditional, and Craftsman. The period of significance is 1890 to 1960, during which most of the homes were built. The district represents the broad pattern of social and economic history of Tacoma. College Park also embodies the distinctive characteristics of homes from this period and includes the work of master craftsmen and architects.

 

 

College Park National Register Historic District Nomination