Quarterly Construction Update on Tacoma’s Old City Hall
As the restoration of Tacoma’s Old City Hall progresses, we are thrilled to share the latest updates of the iconic landmark, filled with historical and architectural significance. Here’s a detailed look at what we’ve been up to!
Concrete, Concrete, and More Concrete
To date, we have received about 200 trucks of concrete, each carrying an average of 10 cubic yards, which equates to over half of an Olympic-sized swimming pool (which holds 2,500 cubic meters of water). As we still have yet to complete reinforcements on the clock tower, this impressive volume of concrete underscores the scale of material used in the entirety of this project!
Shear Walls Reinforcement Completed
We have successfully completed the construction of three shear walls, running from the basement through the 5th floor to the roof. These walls, each standing 87 feet high, 20 feet long, and 18 inches thick, are a testament to the buildings’ structural integrity, as they provide crucial support and stability to the entire building.
Steel Beam Reinforcement in Progress
Our current focus is on the steel beam reinforcement for the north, west, and east sides of the building. The west side is particularly noteworthy, involving a network of x-bracing lengths of steel I-beams, each 10 inches by 12 feet. This intricate web of steel will ensure the building’s strength and resilience for years to come!
A Tower Within a Tower
The tower within Old City Hall is being transformed with an interior perimeter reinforced with 2 feet of rebar and concrete, extending from the base to the roof. Each floor within the tower is being replaced with a reinforced slab floor, while much of the original floor joist wood is being preserved for future use. We are currently working on the fifth floor, making steady progress toward our goal.
Preserving History: The Bells and Chimes
The historic bells and chime mechanisms have been carefully disassembled and lowered for safekeeping. The largest bell, weighing 2,000 pounds, has been donated to Metro Parks Tacoma. These bells, originally a gift from Hugh C. Wallace in 1904 (who ordered them from E. Howard Clock Co. of Boston), were cast by the same foundry in Baltimore that produced the Liberty Bell. The bells were presented on Christmas Day in 1904 as a gift in memory of their 3-year-old daughter who had passed away.
We have preserved articles about the chime’s music and history, and we plan to play the original Westminster Chimes tune, sourced from the 1905 Tacoma Daily Ledger, once the project is complete.
Clock Faces Restoration
Two of the clock faces have been meticulously refinished, which involved repelling over the top edge of the tower to hand-sand each number and arm of the clock, removing rust and carefully repainting. The remaining two faces will receive the same “face lift” over the next two months, weather permitting.
Big Crane Operation
On June 10th, we hired a large crane to hoist 20,000 lbs of HVAC equipment to be placed on the roof. The operation was a logistical feat, needing to be done after the link light rail closed for the night because of the crane needing to reach from the lower public parking lot at McMenamins to the sidewalk next to Old City Hall and then lift the equipment 140 feet high to the roof. The crane, transported by two large semis, had the capacity to lift 17,200 lbs at once!
Windows and Vaults
Our social media followers had the chance to guess the number of different types of windows in the building, which totaled 357! Additionally, four original hand-painted safes, with their ornate detailing and 16-foot ceilings, have survived and will be preserved as part of the building’s historical charm.
We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made and are excited to see OCH restored to its former glory. Stay tuned on our social media channels and subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our website, as we continue this journey of preservation and renewal!
