I went back to the Red Elm Café to visit with an old friend and now a new friend. While there I noticed this terrific artwork on the wall of the Basket Nook On MLK Way between South 10th and South 11th. I suspect that the art is temporary until somebody develops the lot and considering the good things that are happening I’m guessing new construction will happen sooner than later. But for now I’m enjoying it.
I remember shopping at this large department store and I think I remember having a meal in the cafe. But be darned if I can remember what it was called! It was one of the anchors of the Lakewood Mall when there was a Lakewood Mall. The retail space has been vacant for years.
Pierce County Hospital, also known as Mountain View Sanatorium, Puget Sound General Hospital and the Pierce Hospital, (3580 Pacific Ave.) is slated for demolition. It was originally constructed in 1928 and had an addition, including a pool, in 1941/42. In 1951 a second building was constructed as a tuberculosis sanitarium. In 1973 a James Caan, Cinderella Liberty, was filmed at the hospital. In 1977 a sky bridge was constructed connecting it to the adjacent building. In 2011 the buildings were closed and currently there are plans to demolish the structures and construct a new building to house the majority of the Pierce County government services. Information on the project can be found here.
I’ve heard stories of the hospital being haunted with more information on that to be found here.
Update January 2017
The Russell Apartments at 1313 Fawcett Avenue have seen better days. They were built in 1929. Obviously they are in poor condition either awaiting demotion (most likely) or rehabilitation.
The Toynbee Floral Co. has been vacant for some time. I found a photo from 2012 in which it looked much the same as above. And I find no other mention of it during a quick web search. I love the painted storefront windows with my favorite detail being that the blinds on the window to the left are also paint!
This once splendid trailer is the last man standing in an ex-trailer park north of Highway 512 and East of South Tacoma Way. I could still see the individual pads where the mobile homes once sit and my husband pointed out where each unit’s power was. And there are a couple of rundown buildings that I suspect were the park’s office and perhaps a laundry facility. I wonder why it was deserted and dear husband opined that maybe it was cleared away for redevelopment and then the market collapsed. Perhaps.
Darn it was cold today, so I had a very quick stop to photo the vacant lot on the southeast corner of Pacific Avenue and South 38th Street. I remember when there was a building on the large lot, office space I think. Somebody demolished the buildings and there were plans to building something, maybe a drugstore? Anyway, its been vacant for years now. Maybe now that the Northwest corner is being redeveloped, this lot too will see new life. One can hope.
I found this small retail space available the Tacoma Place Center and it made me think that I am seeing less retail vacancy. Let’s hope so!
So the other day when I was near Baltimore Park, I went past this wooded lot between a new house and a vacant lot available for sale. I was intrigued. Was it a little park? A pathway? To be honest it seemed like a bad idea to go explore it by my lonesome, so I drove away. But today I was in the general area with dear husband and I talked him into going with me. It was a steep little trail down, but I made it and it was pretty except the trash (only two pieces), There was a culvert for draining water. I walked on about five feet, really no more, and found this
Well, OK. That was fun. I climbed back up (dear husband had sensibly waited at the top). We did get to see some deer, two does, a fawn and a shy buck, so that was cool.
The vacant building at 4638 South Yakima had most recently been Superior TV with a living unit upstairs, but its been vacant for a while. A 1977 photo of the property shows it occupied by Superior TV, so they had a pretty long time in the space, most likely repairing the tube TVs that use to be popular.
The building was originally built as Goodwin Drug Store in 1923 and Wm. Seese was the builder.