TACOMA, Wash. -- Tacoma officials will begin talks with McMenamins of Portland, Ore., to turn Old City Hall into a 60-room boutique hotel and restaurant/brewery.
McMenamins - a chain of breweries, music venues and historic hotels in the Northwest - is proposing to develop four small, signature bars that highlight the historic building's jailhouse, clock tower and rooftop greenhouse; a rooftop restaurant; soaking pools; community/private meeting and event spaces and gift shop in the downtown locale. McMenamins most recently renovated the Anderson School in Bothell, which opened in October.
"We fell in love with Old City Hall while going through the process of purchasing and planning for the Elks Lodge," McMenamins CEO Michael McMenamin said in a released statement. "It was challenging to fit in everything we wanted to provide to the community within the Elks building. The Old City Hall building will allow us to do just that. It is a natural complement to the Elks Lodge, and needless to say a great building."
"We look forward to breathing new life into our iconic Old City Hall," said Mayor Marilyn Strickland, adding the proposed project will boost Tacoma's economy.
The City of Tacoma bought the aging Old City Hall last June for $4 million. In September, the city issued a Request for Interest (RFI) from developers to lease/purchase the Old City Hall.
"McMenamins has indicated to the City that they would consider a purchase of Old City Hall within three years of the initial lease which would potentially begin in 2016," said City Manager T.C. Broadnax. "In 2016-2017, they plan to finish renovating the Elks Building, and subsequently complete renovating Old City Hall by the fall of 2019. Their financing plan included developer equity and it enables the City to recoup its investment."
