Exit133.com: Fawcett House Burned Down?

Fawcett House Burned Down? (26. December 2006, 10:10 by Derek Young) ~ Photos?

I received an email in the middle of the night telling us that flames and smoke were shooting from the top of the Fawcett House at the corner of Fawcett and South 21st. Six firetrucks were on site. Tacoma Avenue was closed.

I think we somehow skipped any discussion of Fawcett House on Exit133. The low income apartment building had been shut down by the city due to unsafe conditions and crime several months ago. Lately it’s been the subject of many rumors including rehabilitating the existing structure for low income, tearing down the existing structure for a new mixed use project, tearing down the existing structure for some UWT use, and many others.

I’m out of town so I can’t check it out myself. What’s the word? Is it gone?

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I came into work this morning and saw the firetrucks with their pretty flashing lights. Firfighters are still spraying water onto what’s left of the building. It is still standing, but the roof is gone.

1 | Posted by Marty | Dec 26, 01:00 PM

It looks like a total loss. I can see it from my office and they are still putting the hot spots out. I looks like the complete top two floors are gone but the roof has fell into the building. From the outside the roof is missing and the top floor windows are burned out. They have been pouring water into it the five hours I have been here.

2 | Posted by Eric Goranson | Dec 26, 01:29 PM

King5.com has raw video footage of the fire and discussion of the arson investigation.

3 | Posted by Eric | Dec 26, 02:19 PM

The Fawcett House was in poor shape, set to be demolished and another structure was set to be built there:

A shuttered downtown Tacoma apartment building that neighbors say is a magnet for criminal activity and squatters could soon be demolished and redeveloped as student housing for the nearby University of Washington Tacoma, one of the building’s investors said Tuesday.

TNT 8/30/2006.

Also:

An electrical inspector found “a number of incidents of exposed wiring” in fixtures and outlets, and repair or remodeling work performed without building permits, said Tacoma Power Utilities spokeswoman Sue Veseth.

A Tacoma fire inspector found several doors that didn’t close properly, which could lead to a fire spreading more rapidly, said deputy fire marshal Kevin O’Donnal. Other violations: Several emergency lights didn’t work, the fire alarm – which needs to be tested annually – hadn’t been checked in two years, and gasoline was stored in the building’s basement.

At least no one was injured. Hopefully, they can build some mixed use housing in the area or much needed student housing for the UWT.

4 | Posted by Erik | Dec 26, 02:43 PM

Here’s the story from King 5:

Around 2 a.m., flames engulfed the Fawcett House complex near the corner of South 21st Street and Fawcett Avenue. Crews attacked the fire from the outside, because the building is structurally unsafe. Nobody was inside, but transients have started fires there in the past. The building was closed back in July because of code violations.

5 | Posted by Erik | Dec 26, 02:50 PM

It is kind of funny that todays 365 Tacoma picture is from another boarded up building on 21st street only 2 blocks away from the Fawcett House.

So I was thinking about how the fire would affect the sale of the building, if it is still going through. There would probably be some consideration for the building in the price of the lots (the building was still assessed at around $500k). Now the building is gone, so that may make the property worth less even if the building was to be torn down anyways. Also I am sure insurance doesn’t cover condemed buildings. The current owner should have proctected his assests a bit more.

I drove by at around 3am and it was a sight to see. All of the streets were shut down but I got a pretty good view from around 23rd and Jeffereson. You could see flames coming from the top floors. Large hoses were crossing all of the streets. A large cloud of smoke was blowing westward. When I saw the cloud of smoke from my condo that was the first building that came to mind.