KevinFreitas.net

Search

blog misc projects personal <webdev>

2007

2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 x

Last stop after the Roberson and Thea's Landing on the tour took us to Walker (don't believe there's a "the" in front of that). Big dislike first: the place was awesome enough to make my wife think seriously about figuring out how we could live there. What's not to like about such an idea? Well, very little actually. It probably won't happen though to make a planner like her think that way on-site means Walker made quite an impression on both of us.

Here's that list of likes and dislikes:

Likes

• retrofit of building on historic register -- I love seeing old buildings find a new purpose
• a games room that's fit for grown-ups with a couple flat panel TVs, nice pool table, and area for a bar
• attached Speakeasy restaurant and lounge will open to the public and have available room service to tenants
• reasonable starting prices (in the $300s)
• great layout options that include a full two bedrooms, nice master suite walk-in closet, and home office space works well for couples like us with no kids or who might want one someday (specifically the Louis Armstrong)
  
• concierge service and valet parking
• available guest suites in case you want to have folks in town but don't want them staying with you ;)
• great bathroom in Louis Armstrong with cool swivel mirrors and jetted tub
• bonus points for having hello, cupcake cupcakes as part of their spread
  

Dislikes

• feels a bit like it caters to an older crowd
• HOA dues $300+ per month
• no pets over 25 lbs (sorry Rock!)
  

Overall, very impressive. The historic building, low unit count, amenities and thoughtful layouts could really make this a great place to live. Both Walker and the Roberson give me hope that not all new condo project will be stale and typical.

The regional online publication Crosscut has a thoughtful piece from the other day about Tacoma's growing arts community. The article centers around a theme of Tacoma's age old rivalry with Seattle and how that attitude may overshadow local growth in the arts. It's an overall positive look at some of the great art galleries, shops, and non-museum display offerings. I appreciate, however, that the author pointed out that sometimes Tacoman's aren't supporting their own art scene enough. Makes sense which is why having so many great and proud local bloggers can help shape our image and pride in the place we live, work and enjoy. The more people that see that enthusiasm the more they'll be inclined to make the trip here.

Link to Crosscut (thanks Brooks!)

Along a similar vein I thought it might be interesting to throw out a question to y'all: If you were to plan a trip to Tacoma to take in it's arts scene, how long would it be and what would you do? 1 day? Just a museum or two? 1 week? All the museums and a couple gallery openings? 1 month? Is that even possible? Let's get introspective and real about what insiders like us would plan to do and, heck, maybe it'll rub off and give visitors a great peek into what the possibilities are.

Comments (0) | To Top

  urges you to