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Overview

In 1939, the Perkins Building had a number of law firms operating in it. An advertisement in the Polk's Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1940, (p. 193), indicated that the the Perkins Building had "Tacoma's finest law library available to all tenants."

Building History

Sydney Albert Perkins commissioned the Tacoma architectural firm of Russell and Babcock to design this "fireproof" office building, that was home to the Tacoma Morning Ledger and Tacoma Evening News. The initial building contractor was Contract Engineering Company of Tacoma.

The building replaced the brick Lister Building that stood previously on the site. The Lister Block was moved to make way for the Perkins Building. (See "Perkins Building," Tacoma Public Library, Northwest Room, Tacoma-Pierce County Buildings Index, accessed 03/06/2020.)

Building Notes

The Perkins Building had its own parking garage for tenants and guests at 1106 Cliff Street in 1940. A cigar store operated at 1101 A Street in the same year. (See Polk's Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1940, p. 620.)

The Perkins Building accommodated the University of Washington, Tacoma's first campus between 1990 and 1997. (See "Perkins Building," Tacoma Public Library, Northwest Room, Tacoma-Pierce County Buildings Index, accessed 03/06/2020.)

The architectural firms of Hill and Mock, Hill, Mock and Morrison and Mock and Morrison occupied rooms in the Perkins Building during the 1920s through the 1940s.

Alteration

Though it was completed in 1907, plans began in 1908 to greatly enlarge the building's size. Russell and Babcock produced plans for this addition, working with the Hurley-Mason Company, building contractors of Tacoma. (See "Perkins Building," Tacoma Public Library, Northwest Room, Tacoma-Pierce County Buildings Index, accessed 03/06/2020.)

PCAD id: 21858