Historic Firehouse Tour in Tacoma, May 19

Firehouse #8, Tacoma/ Photo: Gerry Sperry

Date:  Saturday, May 19, 2012
Time: 4-6 pm
Location:  Historic Firehouse #8 in the Whitman Neighborhood, 4301 South L Street, Tacoma
Cost:  Free to Historic Tacoma members.  Non-Members $10 at the door.

Tour a historic firehouse that has been adaptively reused as live/work space. On the Tacoma Register of Historic Places, this structure was built in 1909 and served as a fire station until decommissioned in 2003.  In 2005 the unique structure was remodeled to provide warehouse space for With Love Chocolates and living space for the company’s owners on the second floor.  While using the former fire truck parking pads for storage is an easily imagined accommodation, turning the upstairs into a stylish 3-bedroom residence took vision and patience.

Although this property does not have the proportion of residential to commercial use that a traditional live/work would require, the renovation is a great example of how Tacoma’s Special Tax Valuation Program can make a substantial historic remodel financially feasible.

Join Historic Tacoma as for this special tour of an amazing project and learn more about the special tax valuation process.