Tacoma now owns Old City Hall

The city of Tacoma closed on its purchase of Old City Hall last month, records show.

The City Council, worried about the building’s deteriorating condition, voted in June to buy the 122-year-old building on Commerce Street for $4 million. An appraiser had valued the property at about $1.6 million.

Though the purchase came as a surprise to some, city staffers had been working on it for months.

The city bought the landmark with money designated for historic preservation and economic development, which can’t be used to pay for other items such as police officer salaries or pothole repairs.

The city is now planning its next steps, said spokeswoman Maria Lee in an email. Those plans include hiring a consultant to address the building’s immediate needs, she said.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Tacoma now owns Old City Hall."