Construction on The Sandberg Building began in 1907 and was completed in 1908. Built by Peter Sandberg, a notorious Tacoma vice lord who ran many illicit operations in the early 1900’s, it’s said he constructed this building to facilitate the retail trade. Upon opening in 1908, the building was leased to Davis Smith & Co., a furniture manufacturer.
The building was designed by influential architect Federick Health whose many projects helped shape the visual elements of the city. Some of his more notable projects include Stadium Bowl at Stadium High School, the Pythian Temple, Paradise Inn at Mt Ranier National Park, to name a few. The Sandberg building is one of the first skyscrapers in the Western United States with 10 stories. Using steel reinforced concrete construction, it was considered a bold, modern building and was, at the time, the tallest concrete structure west of the Mississippi.
Post WWI, Sandberg fell on hard times and sold the building to Schoenfeld Furniture in 1922. The furniture company moved into the space in 1924 and added the large Schoenfeld aluminum lettering on the exterior and aluminum siding that gave the building a harsh, unattractive appearance. After 72 years in the building, Schoenfeld later went out of business in 1996.
Horizon Partners Northwest (HPNW) purchased the Sandberg Building in 1998 with initial plans to modernize it. The new owner chose to restore the building’s historic elements while also removing the Schoenfeld name. Upgrades included new windows, seismic retrofitting, and interior improvements to plumbing, mechanical systems, and fire and alarm systems. These renovations transformed the property into Class A office space, which later became home to DaVita.
When DaVita relocated to Federal Way in 2021, the future of the vacated space was uncertain. The owner ultimately chose to transform the offices into luxury apartments. HPNW has a strong reputation for rehabilitating vacant commercial properties by identifying their highest and best potential while preserving the historical character of the original construction. Sandberg on the Ave is poised to become another example of a successful historic revitalization in downtown Tacoma.
