Driving a Wedge

PHOTO BY JOHN LARSON

LIFE ON THE WEDGE. The Wedge neighborhood is home to a number of old apartment buildings.

A proposal to attach a historic designation to the Wedge neighborhood has created divisions in the area of historic homes and apartment buildings near Wright Park. Tacoma City Council is considering the creation of a historic special review district and a conservation district in the Wedge, an area roughly bounded by 6th Avenue, Division Avenue and South ‘M’ Street.

The first designation establishes guidelines for design of new construction and modifications to existing buildings, as well as a process for reviewing such changes through the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. Properties in such a district may qualify for certain tax and development incentives.

Conservation districts, in contrast, provide a buffer between the historic district and adjacent development using guidelines for new construction and protections for historic structures.

Demolition of historic structures within either district is strongly discouraged.

Tacoma Planning Commission submitted a letter to the council in June recommending approval of the designations.

A public hearing was held during the council meeting on July 20. Rueben McKnight, the city’s historic preservation officer, explained that the request for the designations was made in June 2008. It has generated some opposition from property owners who fear it could deter future development plans. MultiCare Health System, which operates nearby Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, owns four vacant houses on South ‘M’ Street. MultiCare does not want the homes included in the district, McKnight said.

The current zoning for the area, established in 1990, aims to protect single-family homes, according to McKnight.

Ross Buffington and his wife live in the Wedge. He downplayed the idea of friction between residents and MultiCare. “My wife and I are happy to have MultiCare as a neighbor,” he said. “The real story is a group of residents spent three years to preserve their neighborhood.”

Reed Carr and his family live across the street from the MultiCare homes. He said all are vacant and would prefer MultiCare to rent them.

“Their intent all along has been to demolish them,” said Diane Walkup, who lives nearby.

“We support the effort of the Wedge residents,” said Lois Bernstein, senior vice president of community services for MultiCare. She said it disagrees with the eastern boundary and said 16 of 20 property owners along this edge of the Wedge do not want to be included in the district.

Mark Lindquist lives in the Wedge with his wife, who has been active in the effort to establish the district. “It not only will be good for the Wedge neighborhood but also good for the surrounding neighborhood,” he remarked.

Several residents of North Slope, a nearby neighborhood with a historic district designation, spoke in favor of doing so for the Wedge.

“It boosted pride of homeowners in my neighborhood,” Julie Turner said. “We would like another historic district to keep us company.”

Les Pollack has lived in the Wedge since 1973. He said animosity toward MultiCare after it purchased and tore down the old First United Methodist Church for its new emergency room is driving this proposal. “That is what set this off.”

Pollack mentioned design standards in North Slope, where a number of homeowners have been penalized for installing types of windows and siding that are not allowed. He claimed some North Slopers go about looking for such violations and turn neighbors in to the city. “That is East Germany,” Pollack declared. “The Wedge is doing fine. We do not need a lot of help from the city.”

Wedge resident Laurie Hunger supports the designation. Opponents want to put vinyl windows on their homes, she told the council.  

Salvation Army operates an emergency shelter in a former motel on 6th Avenue. The organization has plans to eventually tear it down and replace it with a modern structure and has raised concerns previously that the historic designation would prevent this. Frank Walton, director of business operations, said part of the structure is closed due to its aging condition. Restoring it is not financially viable, he said.

“The current building has lived its useful life and needs to be demolished.”

A representative of the owner of St. Mark’s Medical Center, located within the proposed district, said the structure is not historically significant and requested it be excluded.

The issue will be discussed during the next meeting of the council’s Neighborhoods and Housing Committee, which starts at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 2.

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