An Update on the Downtown Post Office and Haub (27. January 2009, 11:43 by Derek Young) ~ Being Optimistic
A memo from Ryan Petty, Director of Community & Economic Development, provides a few new details into the proposed sale of the downtown post office and its adjacent lot to the south.
It’s been a while since we’ve talked about this one …
How did this come up now? In tonight’s City Council meeting, the Council will vote on an agreement of environmental remediation and indemnification with the Haub family related to the old Sauro’s Cleanarama property that is just south of the USPS parking lot. Once approved, USPS will clean up some oil contamination on their lot and Haub will acquire the property. The sale is expected to close by mid-February. At that point, Haub will own the entire block bounded by 13th, 14th, Pacific, and A Streets.
If you may recall, this site is one of the site considered by Russell for a new building.
At the same time, the Postal Service will issue an RFP to sell the historic building. Once sold, according to the memo, the USPS would prefer to lease back space in the building. However, it is open to relocating elsewhere downtown.
Does this mean we could have a new skyscraper sometime soon?
A Bit More Background by Dan Voelpel from September.
Previously on Exit133
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“Does this mean we could have a new skyscraper sometime soon??“
“Soon” being relative.
The way I see it, even if the economy really tanks, some new scrapers will still go up. Remember, Chrysler and the ESB in NYC were completed in 1930/31, respectively.
If cards are played right, I think there is a better likelihood (given Haub’s intents and record) of something taller than Wells Fargo going up once the volatility in the economy dies down.
1 | Posted by Thorax O'Tool | Jan 27, 12:19 PM
that post office is one of the prettiest buildings around. I will be sad to see it plowed under for a bloody sky scraper.
2 | Posted by RR Anderson | Jan 27, 01:13 PM
No one’s plowing down the post office, RR, the area potentially within the skyscraper footprint is between the Wells Fargo building and Davita…
3 | Posted by jamie from thriceallamerican | Jan 27, 01:25 PM
I remember years ago during the condo boom there was talk about turning the post office building into condos, no way that would fly now!
4 | Posted by Sarah H | Jan 27, 04:52 PM
Mr. Anderson, demolish the main post office and then how about one block away restore the 11th Street Bridge?
One cannot overthink this city.
You should get an honorary degree in Tacoma logic.
5 | Posted by Mofo from the Hood | Jan 27, 09:42 PM
Taclogic… it’s like the Boss Zone in Dilbert… where time, money logic and physics no longer apply
6 | Posted by Thorax O'Tool | Jan 27, 10:22 PM
Seems to be some confusion here. The Post Office site that is being discussed with the City of Tacoma is not the Post Office Building – it is the parking lot to the South along A Street (between S. 13th and S.14th). The Post Office Building is going to have an RFP floated out later this year. So – anybody have a viable idea for this grand old building?
7 | Posted by David Boe | Jan 28, 11:41 AM
Condos, condos, condos, god knows we need more condos.
9 | Posted by crenshaw sepulveda | Jan 28, 12:39 PM
Upscale hobby shop. Somewhere I can go to buy HO scale postal vans for my train set.
11 | Posted by RR Anderson | Jan 28, 01:47 PM
How about a Post Office?
I mean, it’s not like the few companies in downtown wanna drive to the Evergreen Station or the one on MLK…
12 | Posted by Thorax O'Tool | Jan 28, 01:58 PM
“YOUR FIRST SHOPPING CENTER IN DOWNTOWN.“
No, that’s what we get when they finally tear down Park Place North
14 | Posted by Thorax O'Tool | Jan 28, 03:04 PM
It doesn’t matter what they do with the post office or the Sauros site…as long as they do Something.
16 | Posted by Heller | Feb 7, 04:37 PM
It matters what they do. What if put in a 2nd Tollefson Plaza? How would you feel then?
17 | Posted by altered Chords | Feb 8, 02:30 PM
Commenting is closed for this article.
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