If I had to live in either Seattle or Tacoma, I’d pick Tacoma every day of the week. (Currently I live halfway between the two, and work in Seattle, so I know whereof I speak.) I’m sure this will ruffle the feathers of some Seattleites, as these two cities have had a rivalry since at least 1873, when Tacoma won the North Pacific railroad terminus that both cities craved. (Warning about that link. The first 6 paragraphs are really random and weird, and will make you wonder if I attached the wrong link. Trust me, though, it gets better.) To any ruffled-featherites, I would have to say that this is strictly an opinion piece, so get over it.
I prefer Tacoma for several reasons. Tacoma is 56 percent smaller than Seattle in square miles, but it has only 30 percent of Seattle’s population. This of course means that Tacoma has much less population density, which leads to a much calmer, slower pace. That suits me.
Further, Tacoma is not crammed between a massive lake and Puget Sound, so it has a little more room to wiggle its toes, developmentally speaking. Seattle feels like it’s bursting at the seams, and that will only get worse over time. It has nowhere to go. Even though Seattle is cool, there’s a certain frantic ambitiousness underneath that vibe that makes me feel like I can’t keep up. I’ll forever be an outsider in that metropolis.
I think I’d fit in much better in Tacoma. People there are also cool, but in an I-couldn’t-care-less kind of way. Cool is just an afterthought, so if you’re not cool, they won’t judge. They’d probably think you’re cool for not being cool.
Tacoma was made famous by “Galloping Gertie”, which has since been replaced by the current Tacoma Narrows Bridge. (Thank goodness. Gertie footage is any bridge lover’s equivalent to being unable to resist the urge to slow down for a traffic accident.)
Tacoma also has Point Defiance Park, which is one of my all-time favorite parks. That much nature within a city pretty much makes up for the “Aroma of Tacoma”, which I’m told was much, much, MUCH worse back in the paper mill days. But there’s still the rendering plant and the tide flats to contend with. I have to say, though, that I’ve never smelled anything overwhelmingly unpleasant during my visits.
But what puts Tacoma way over the finish line for me is that it seems to be resisting the urge to allow what I call “shipping container chic” buildings to crop up like mushrooms overnight. These buildings, which are all very similar to the artist’s rendering below, can be built quickly, easily, and cheaply, and they take great strides toward solving the housing crisis, yes, but they have no soul. And as permanent as they may be, they look like something that might get slapped together when the circus comes to town. Seattle will regret giving in to this trend, because if it keeps up, the whole city will look like one big communist bloc era public housing project.
Tacoma, on the other hand, has a tight grip on its historic buildings. It’s not losing its personality. In fact, the historic areas are thriving. This is a city with personality.
Proof positive of this is the Save the Grand campaign. The Grand Cinema is a quirky, arthouse type theater that shows independent, international and local films that you would have difficulty seeing anywhere else. It’s tucked inside the Merlino Arts Center building, which was built in 1925. Originally, it was home to the Washington State International Order of Odd Fellows. It’s changed hands several times since then, and now the space is shared by the Grand Cinema, Corina Bakery, Dukesbay Productions and a few others.
Tacoma would lose a lot of its charm if it lost the Grand Cinema. Not only does it show quirky movies, but it also educates the community about film. It’s the hub of the Tacoma Film Festival, and hosts a variety of culturally enriching programs such as Exhibition on Screen, which gives you cinematic exhibitions of fine art. It also hosts a free outdoor movie series.
Sadly, the Merlino Arts Building is up for sale. The asking price is 5.5 million. Fortunately, the seller has reached an agreement with the Grand, and if they can raise the money by June 2025, their future will be assured. As of this writing, they’ve raised $4,396,721. If you’re willing to join thousands of others to help them reach their goal, please do so here.
Before I share their entertaining fundraising video below, I’ll wrap this up by saying that I look forward to visiting Tacoma, and the Grand Cinema, many, many more times. I hope you will, too. The city will embrace you. Meanwhile, #SavetheGrand!
Travel vicariously through this blog. And while you’re at it, check out my book! http://amzn.to/2mlPVh5
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