Like a pack of well dressed, predominantly Caucasian wolverines, vested with preserving the historical identity of our city, the Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission met Wednesday night to, among other things, discuss a proposal to demolish the old Heidelberg Brewery building, located at 2102 S. C St. near the University of Washington Tacoma Campus.  All that was known going into the meeting was that the owners of the brewery had applied for a demolition permit, and they hoped to replace the historical structure with something exciting and new. What exactly that might be was what drew a handful of retired guys, John Larson of the Tacoma Weekly, a reporter from the TNT, and this writer to the Tacoma Municipal Building at 5 p.m.

So what is the exciting new plan for the Heidelberg Brewery? What might the old building’s exciting new replacement be?

A fucking Holiday Inn.

You heard it Tacoma. While the plan is still in its infantile stages, and will likely face heavy opposition from the Landmark Preservation Commission and up, as it stands right now there’s a group of business types hoping to put a 160 room Holiday Inn at the current location of the Heidelberg Brewery. After much talk, anticipation, and excitement over the locally publicized unveiling, you could feel the disappointment fill the room, affecting both the wolverines and interested citizens in the gallery, as Han G. Kim, Ph. D. of Hotel Concepts passed around early sketches of his vision for the Holiday Inn. The owner of the property to his right, Kim began to feel the wrath of the Landmark Preservation Commission almost as soon as Historic Preservation Officer Reuben McKnight (the most competent of the group) finished briefing his fellow wolverines on the proposed demolition and new construction.

“What I’ve seen here doesn’t impress me,” scolded one member of the Commission, adding “I’ve seen it along every freeway in America.”

At the heart of the issue is the debatable historical importance of the Heidelberg Brewery. Currently, thanks to about a half dozen renovations since the building’s original construction sometime around 1900, the Heidelberg Brewery is classified, in historical preservation terms, as a non contributing structure. However, it is in a historical district, meaning the Commission still has the right to review any plans for demolition. Any new building would almost certainly have to fit with the existing historical theme of the “brewery district,” or “warehouse district” (depending on which you prefer) where the brewery is located. Now that the owners of the Heidelberg Brewery have applied for a demolition permit, the Commission has the option of changing their mind, and deciding the building is of historical importance. Or they can reaffirm the building as “non contributing.” If the building keeps its “non contributing” status Kim and Hotel Concepts will be able to move forward with their plans for a Holiday Inn, but if it’s deemed historical, the demolition will be squashed and the group will work to achieve “compromise.” Given the disgust displayed by members of the Landmark Commission over Kim’s proposed Holiday Inn, it seems imminent the wolverines who guard our history will seek “compromise.” “Compromise” likely means Kim and Co are shit out of luck.

“If there’s anything I like less than a retroactive vinyl window application,” said a male member of the Commission, whose name and face was obscured from my vision by head of the TNT writer who wouldn’t stop clearing his god forsaken throat, “it’s the demolition of a historical building.” (Referring to an earlier appeal by a home owner being forced into removing all the vinyl windows she recently replaced because they don’t meet the snooty requirements of the historical “North Slope”)

Later in the meeting, Sharon Winters of the Historic Tacoma group, testified that Kim’s plans for a parking lot accompanying his Holiday Inn gave her “heartburn.”

Through all of it, the barrages and plastic diplomacy, Kim stayed strong.

“Our main concern is, without the building being gone our hotel will be impossible. (The Heidelberg Brewery building) makes the neighborhood feel dangerous. We want a feeling of safety, not run down buildings,” said Kim.

Tonight’s meeting was the first in a long, drawn-out, bureaucratic process that will ultimately decide the fate of the Heidelberg Brewery â€" at least in terms of whether or not it becomes a Holiday Inn. After sitting through the two hour meeting, I’d put everything I own on the plan failing. But I’m not a betting man. All I know is the Tacoma Landmark Preservation Commission seems to have a newfound love for the old brewery, and my guess is they’ll soon realize its “historical importance” and block the proposed demolition.

I guess that’s what happens when the other option is a Holiday Inn. â€" Matt Driscoll