Major Changes To Elks Project
It has been confirmed by multiple sources that there will be some major changes in the Elks/McMenamins project. I have been told that McMenamins has decided a hotel in the Elks building is not feasible due to the lack of windows in the structure. They will however build the hotel part of the project in the lower floors of the adjacent mixed-use building being built by Grace Pleasants and Rick Moses. This will add a few more stories to mixed-use building and possibly force the building to be built as a steel-framed structure instead of wood-frame, if it already wasn’t going to be.
I have not heard what McMenamins plans to do with the space that was slated for the hotel in the Elks building or if the cost to construct the city-owned garage will change in the mixed-use building due to it having to support more floors.
In late February the City of Tacoma, Grace Pleasants & Rick Moses announced that GLY Construction Co. of Bellevue and Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects of Seattle will be the design-build team for the mixed-use project.
TNT Article: Tacoma’s Elks Project Takes Big Step
Here is a crazy idea, build more density and floors in a transit oriented area without building more parking. Oh wait, that would be too forward thinking for some folks (aka the city manager and his lacky’s) at the city to comprehend.
How about a community center where drama, music, coffee/gift shop, restaurant, recreation activities, offices, art gallery, day care for those who participate in the activities out of it. etc. Rent it to the city or to private individuals/ preferably private. The people who live in the area would love that.