Who’s ready to geek out on a little bit of Tacoma History?! After reading this blog, you’ll walk away with a baseline understanding of what a Historic District in Tacoma is, what purpose they serve, where historic district are located, the benefits of owning a home in a historic district and where you go to find more resources. You will be fully equipped to dive deeper and answer some of your own questions regarding Historic Homes in Tacoma and if your home could qualify to be registered. Let’s start with the basics.

What is a Historic District?

Historic Districts are designated areas within Tacoma that have unique character and development patterns specific to a period of time. The intent behind these Historic Districts and Landmarks is to preserve and maintain the look and material of older homes and neighborhoods. Our availability of older homes and buildings is one of the things that makes the City of Tacoma stand out. Having a committee that guides and provides resource to expand our understanding of unique architecture and history is really wonderful.

How many Historic Districts are there? 

The City of Tacoma has eight Historic Districts across three registers; National Register(NR), State Register(WR) and Tacoma Register(TR).

1. “The Wedge” (TR, WR, NR)
2. “North Slope” (TR, WR, NR)
3. Old City Hall (TR, WR, NR)
4. Union Depot/Warehouse (TR, WR, NR)
5. Stadium (NR)
6. Salmon Beach (WR)
7. Buckley’s (WR, NR)
8. College Park (WR, NR)

Notice that I outlined which of these district are National, State and Local. Local District and preservation will be what we discuss here. National and State are largely honorary. To give you an idea of what a Historic District looks like, below is a photo of The North Slope Historic District. The North Slope is the largest established Historic District in Tacoma AND one of the largest in the Country! Click HERE to find a wealth of knowledge on all eight historic districts located in the City of Tacoma.

What are the benefits of buying a home in a Historically Designated Area? These only apply to the Tacoma registry, not National or State.

1. Did you know that homes located within any given historic district hold and increase in value, more than surrounding homes that are not located within a historic district? It is true. Preservation regulations within historic district maintain the original character of the homes and neighborhoods, thereby contributing to larger stability and economic growth.
2. When restoring your historic home, there are some guidelines to follow. These guidelines were created to better preserve the original look and materials used. The preservation of materials is something that should be discussed more. The Historic Society’s mission is to preserve and restore as much as possible. Pride in ownership is what drives strong and stable values. The maintenance of your historic home, when done thoughtfully and intentionally, are beneficial for the community.
3. If you do perform renovations on your home, the City of Tacoma offers to reduce your overall taxes for the following 10 years. HERE you can click and find out if you qualify and what renovation costs go towards and the various incentives offered
4. Be apart of Tacoma’s History! Tacoma’s North Slope District is the largest local district in the Nation. As a community, that’s something to be really proud of.
5. For more benefits on owning in a historic home, click HERE

 

I’m a Home Buyer/Seller and I’m interested in buying in a Historically Designated Area – What should I know? 

Although you may, at times be concerned about possible regulations to your homes exterior, there are long ranging benefits. I want to reiterate that the intentions of local historic society is to preserve. Preserving historic homes and communities isn’t just about the “look”, it is about the preservation of original material and construction practices. If this resonates with you, you might be well suited to purchase a historic home.

• Windows. I mention windows first because in my experience, it is the first items homeowners mention. If you need to replace a window, you must do it “in kind”. Meaning a vinyl window for a vinyl window. Preserving older wood windows especially is strongly encouraged. Contrary to popular belief, wood windows are some of the most efficient windows. Although the initial cost of wood windows is higher, the efficiency, longevity and potential increase in your home value, will in the long run, pay for itself.
• Exterior. Significant modifications to the first impressions of the home are limited. While bigger maybe better right now, you are limited to how you can expand your historic home. If you look at this from the eyes of the preservationist, we can agree, that there is something really special about modifying you’re living circumstances to what you have, rather than spending resources on alter your historic home. Again, the mission of the City of Tacoma’s Historic Society is to preserve and conserve the original building material.
• Commonly topics of discussion:
  • ADU’s are approved in historic areas, However – if the addition is visibly seen from the street, the historic committee will ask to make adjustments to the plans
  • Can I paint historic home what I want? In short – yes! There are no regulations on what color you paint your home.
  • Changing out siding? Newer Hardieplank siding is approved, but it must be a specific texture and style.

Bottom line here folks, owning a historic home is an honor. You are apart of a community that is committed to preserving historic homes, minimizing material waste and contributing to a stronger healthier community. If you are looking to talk to a human at the City of Tacoma to answer some specific questions, give Susan Johnson a call. (253) 281-7445. She is the Historic Preservation Officer and is happy to answer your questions.

How do I find the History of my home? 

Once I discovered this tool, I was hooked for hours, researching my personal home to learn about the history of my home and people who lived here before me. Here is a link to the Pierce County Building Index at the Tacoma Public Library.

What if I DO NOT own a home in one of the eight Historic District? Can it be designated as a Historical Landmark? 

Short answer – YES! It most certainly can. Here is the baseline criteria your home must meet:

• Must be 50 years of age
• In fair condition OR retain original materials to be able to convey its significance
• The building has something that sets it apart from others like it. This might include a unique design or excellent condition
• This building must have something that makes it important:
  • Does it represent the architectural style well?
  • Is it emblematic of a theme or local history?
  • Is it connected to a significant person?

To read more about the guidelines for Historic Landmark approval, click HERE

For further clarity on various entities working in this field are below.

1. Historic Tacoma is a nonprofit organization that promotes and advocates for the preservation of historic architecture, with a volunteer board of directors. Its website: www.HistoricTacoma.org.
2. Tacoma Historical Society is a different nonprofit organization that is all about Tacoma history more generally and operates a local history museum at 406 Tacoma Avenue S. Their website: www.TacomaHistory.org.
3. The City Historic Preservation Office (HPO) staff manage the nomination processes for the Historic Register, Historic Districts, and the associated tax benefit programs. It also reviews building permits and modifications to historic buildings. Finally, the City staff also support the work of …
4. The City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Its members are local residents appointed by the City Council. The Commission reviews and approves nominations of historic districts and buildings and forwards those nominations to the City Council for final approval. It also advises the Historic Preservation Office staff on any proposed modifications to historic buildings.

For more information on your historic home or the process of buying or selling, contact Realtor, Jenny Wetzel; 253-381-9788; Jenny@jennywetzelhomes.com