A Historic Property Survey will be conducted within the South Tacoma Mixed Use Center (MUC) to inventory a sample of historic properties, starting in Fall 2023 and continuing into 2024. Public input is sought to help select which buildings will be documented.
This inventory project is led by the City of Tacoma’s Historic Preservation Office in an effort to update the city’s inventory of historic and cultural resources. One goal of the inventory is to include thorough public outreach so that we better understand what is important to the community. This project reflects our dedication to equity and antiracism and the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented.
The project will record approximately 200 buildings built in or before 1985, similar to the surveys done for the McKinley and Lincoln neighborhoods in 2021 and 2022.
Buildings will be documented through digital photography from the public right-of-way along with field observations on construction, materials, function, and architectural features. Historical research will be done to address the broad patterns of development for the neighborhood, not individual buildings. Inventory forms will be created in the online WISAARD database, maintained by DAHP. Current photos will also be uploaded with each form. A final public meeting will be held later next summer to report back on the project, including the survey findings.
The project is partially funded by a Certified Local Government grant from the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. As such, this project will comply with Washington State Standards for Cultural Resource Reporting. At a high level, this project will help the City’s Planning and Development Services office to better understand the historic resources in the South Tacoma neighborhood, for the purposes of planning, research, economic investment, and public information. There is little existing data on historic properties within this neighborhood.
Do you have ideas about which buildings in the South Tacoma Mixed Use Center have historic and/or cultural significance? Let us know!
Residents and business owners from the South Tacoma neighborhood are encouraged to share suggestions on buildings with community and/or cultural value that they would like to be included in the survey sample. Comments can be emailed to landmarks@cityoftacoma.org with “South Tacoma Survey” in the subject line.
We want to hear the stories behind the places. Whether it's an old family story or a recent reminiscence, tell us about the places in South Tacoma which matter to you, and most importantly, why they matter to you.
Project Schedule
- October 17, 2023 - Project Kickoff (in-person event) at MetroParks Tacoma’s STAR Center, 3873 South 66th Street, from 6:30-7:30pm. Find the Facebook event link here.
- Fall 2023 through Spring 2024 - Research and field documentation
- July/August 2024 - Project wrap-up and public meeting to present findings
Documents
Staff Contact
Susan Johnson, Historic Preservation Coordinator
Landmarks@cityoftacoma.org
(253) 281-7445