Big Whisky Off “Whiskey Row”
The ever fabulous Steph DeRosa just gave us a sneak peak of the new Surreal Ultra Lounge going into the space Club Kokonut was to occupy, the former On The Rocks. Now just off Whiskey Row (Pac Ave. between 9th & 7th) CANS is transforming to Big Whisky Saloon. They are currently hiring for all positions including Country Rock DJs & Beer Tub Babes. They are planning their grand opening for April 30th. No liquor license changes have been posted which is needed with a change in name of the establishment or ownership changes. CANS was owned by the same folks that own Varsity Grill on Broadway.
It is starting to look like nightlife is taking another try in this neighborhood that at one time use to house Destiny’s, The Drake, Club Detour & 7 Cities.
Now we will have Surreal Ultra Lounge, The Matador, Paddy Coyne’s, Meconi’s, Big Whisky, Hell’s Kitchen & The Firwood (???).
You can apply at Big Whisky by submitting your resume to BigWhiskySaloon@gmail.com
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
Another Mixed-Use Project for McCarver
A new mixed-use building is being proposed in the McCarver Neighborhood at the southeast corner of South 19th Street & Yakima Ave. O’Connor & Associates, developer of McCarver Village & Gaslamp Terrace, purchased the property in November 2008. The property currently has a brick four-plex on it. The new mixed-use building will house 32 market-rate apartments and a private medical office. The project goes before the Tacoma City Council on Dec. 1st 2009 for its 8 year multi-family tax exemption. The building will be across the street from St. Joseph Medical Center and 2 blocks from the UWT campus boundary. The four-plex currently sits vacant which could mean construction may happen soon.
I am happy to hear that apartments have been added to this project. About a year ago I saw an ad on Craigslist from O’Connor & Associates advertising lease space in a proposed 2 story medical building at the site. This new building will be another gateway building to the growing McCarver Neighborhood.
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- View from 19th Street
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- View from Yakima Ave.
Chelsea Heights Starts Leasing.. Finally
After 3 years in the construction phase, Prium’s Chelsea Heights project near Wright Park will finally see life. The once condo project is now a 78 unit apartment building and can be seen on numerous rental websites. From photos on Craigslist it does appear that some of the finishes have been downgraded from the original plans. The property management company is currently advertising a 2 bedroom unit for $1,150.
Now does anybody know what is going on with the retail space? It almost looks like it is going to be all storage units. You can see a lot of metal wall forms, very close together in the retail space when you drive by.
Last reported on The Biz Buzz in December 2007 : Second Prium Condo Project Goes Rental
Chelsea Heights Apartments
603 South J Street
Tacoma, WA 98405
253-383-3181
Haub Closes on USPS Parcels
The Haub Brother’s holdings in Tacoma’s Central Business District just got a bit larger. On April 28th the Haub Brother Enterprise Trust closed on two parcels owned by the United States Postal Service. The two parcels located on A Street between 13th and 14th measure 32,600 square feet and are county assessed at $2,674,900. The purchase price was not yet available.
Haub now owns the properties highlighted in red:
The two parcels are key in Haub’s plan for a large highrise development on the site and possibly a new headquarters for Russell Investsments. The City of Tacoma and Haub recently started environmental cleanup and monitoring of the Haub properties and the former Sauro drycleaner site across the street.
Russell HQ proposal:
Design Architect Moving to Tacoma’s Brewery District
On Sunday Dan Voelpel wrote and article in the TNT about the City of Tacoma’s plans to transform the Brewery District in Downtown Tacoma into a neighborhood of the arts. Last year Angelou Economics did a study on Downtown Tacoma and gave recommendations on what the city should be trying to attract to Downtown. Creative arts and deign was one of the targeted fields.
From Sunday’s TNT article:
“Angelou Economics defines the creative arts and design sector as software design, film production, theater production, music recording, interior and graphic design, advertising, marketing, commercial photography, architecture and urban design. It also includes niche manufacturing of handmade jewelry, glass, ceramic, wooden and metal arts.”
Right before I read the article I found out that a municipal design architecture/engineer company will be moving to the Brewery District from their current downtown location on Broadway Plaza. KPG purchased the warehouse building on the corner of South 25th Street and Jefferson Ave. for $2,000,000 earlier this year. They plan to move into the building later this year. The building is also the location of the Robert Daniel Gallery. KPG is said to be only taking up half of the building. KPG’s new space will be across the street from Commencement Bay Coffee Co., next to the Galleria Condos, and only a block away from the new location of Rainier Connect.
KPG also has an office in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle.
Former Bakery Building To Be Demolished
The new owners of the Hostess Bakery building at South 7th Street and Sprague Ave. have some plans for the site and it does not include the current, now vacant building. WB Management bought the 59 year old building in December of 2007 for $850,000. They have submitted and application to rezone the property from its currently R4 multifamily zoning to C2 commercial zoning. The plans call for demolition of the bakery building and 2 story mixed-use building with retail and office space to be built in its place. The building will be surrounded by surface parking for 47 vehicles.
A public hearing for the rezone will be held May 29, 2009 at 9:30 am in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
The full rezone packet can be viewed HERE
You can submit public comment via email to Dustin Lawrence: Dlawrence@cityoftacoma.org
Previously on Ext133.com:
Bakery Reuse. What Would You Do?
