Photo courtesy Wade Perrow Construction Ornamental columns were re-created for the lobby renovation of the Pantages Theater.

The expansion and remodel of the historic 1918 Pantages Theater required dedicated, highly skilled and seasoned craft personnel. The remodel included working with delicate materials on a high-profile community project. To preserve the “old world” look, plaster castings were taken of the existing ornamental columns to create replacements.

Wade Perrow Construction and its subcontractors participated in the city’s Local Employment and Apprenticeship Program, which uses Tacoma residents and Pierce County apprentices. More than 6,200 hours of work were put in by qualified residents, easily beating the project’s goal of 2,540 hours.

The city incorporated Historically Underutilized Business Zone goals into the contract, and Wade Perrow Construction exceeded the goal of 15 percent by subcontracting 27 percent of the work to HUBZone firms.