November 20, 2000

Bone Dry Shoe Building

Cobblers once worked in the 1918 building that McGranahan Architects recently rehabilitated into the firm's new office on Pacific Street in downtown Tacoma.

Photos by Lara Swimmer

Photos by Lara Swimmer

The Bone Dry Shoe Building houses 12,000 square feet of office space for the Tacoma architecture firm and 2,000 square feet of storefront retail space.

Architects discovered photos of shoemakers crafting their trademark "Bone-Dry" cork shoes, then the industry standard for quality footwear for Northwest loggers.

Likening their work to that of these early cobblers, the architects created an "idea factory" on the upper floor of the two-story building. When their design work is completed, it is brought downstairs to clients in the lower conference room, symbolizing the transition from idea to implementation.

Consultants on the project included structural engineer AHBL, general contractor Hilger Construction, and landscape architect The Berger Partnership. The owner is 21 Pacific LLC.

The rehabilitated Bone Dry Shoe Building is one of several buildings helping to revitalize Pacific Street. The restored Union Station federal courthouse, the Washington State History Museum and the University of Washington's new Tacoma campus are also transforming a once blighted part of the city's downtown.

Do you have photos of recent projects? Share them with DJC readers. Send high-resolution images and information to lisa.lannigan@djc.com.

Previous columns:

• Winnfield at Lakemont, 11-13-2000
• Pier 70, 11-06-2000
• Spring Mountain Elementary School, 10-30-2000
• Millennium Plaza Park, 10-23-2000
• A look at the Spokane Valley YMCA, 10-16-2000
• SHS.com, 10-09-2000
• A look at the Belltown Lofts, 10-02-2000
• From drab to fab: CNA transforms office suite, 09-25-2000