It’s here. Time for all the Melonites to walk the purple carpet and take photos in front of the Hummer/GM backdrop for the last time. Your votes have been tabulated, considered, rejected, re-tabulated and accepted to achieve a 82.5% democratic voice in this year’s Golden Melon Awards. Below are the winners. Congrats to everyone and thanks for another great year.

Interview of the Year:

The Melon Underground – Ep 01

With 6 episodes, The Melon Underground stands as The Melon’s longest running post-KUPS podcast. This episode of TMU featured Tacoma Urbanist, Erik Bjornson and went on to be one of the landmarks in discussion about Tacoma.

Melonite of the Year:

Erik Bjornson

A one time writer for the Melon, many times guest, Erik Bjornson has become just as ingrained in Tacoma lore as has RR Anderson. Erik Bjornson stands out as a first-class citizen for his public action and honest to goodness Tacoma advocacy. What would Tacoma be without Erik Bjornson? I don’t want to find out.

Seedling Award:

Best New Melon Contributor

John Hathaway – New Takhoman

In a lot of ways John Hathaway is the embodiment of Tacoma. Old fashioned, true to himself, gritty and willing to dig through grime to find just what he’s looking for.  When we met John Hathaway in an old dinner, we found him in a 50s gangster hat, dressed in a suit and tie, as if he was about smuggle something. But behind the hat, sharp mustache and focused eyes, John Hathaway is an idealist with a heart. We were pleased to be able to record a podcast with him and help promote the oldest Tacoma comic in existence, The New Takhoman. For his dedication to telling it how it is, and pushing the city to think no matter what, the Seedling Award is far to unimportant an award for John Hathaway. Tacoma should be giving him a medal of honor.

Honorable Mention: Erik Connell

photo by Erik Bjornson

Let’s face it: Russell’s decision to move to Seattle and abandon Tacoma was a punch in the face to our city and city residents alike.  Let’s take a week to mourn their decision and the negative consequences the move will have on our city and then get over it and continue to work to rebuild Tacoma.

It is hard to blame the Russell Company for moving.  Had they stayed in Tacoma, they would have been located across the street from the Luzon Building which is in such a dilapidated and dangerous condition it has forced the City of Tacoma to close the adjacent street.  In contrast, moving to Seattle will allow Russell to move into the shiny Chase Center.  Can Tacoma really be surprised of Russell’s move?

Having Russell move out of downtown Tacoma will certainly have a significant negative impact on restaurants and other businesses in the area where Russell employees frequent.

photo by Erik Bjornson

An even worse blow may have been delivered to the psyche of Tacomans who have been pummeled by Seattle continuously for the last 100 years.  The latest poaching of Russell from Tacoma is just another series of blows Tacoma has endured from Seattle.

The Good News

Although the Russell Company was physically located downtown, the company took great pains in their building design to interact very little with urban life downtown.

Russell employees drove to a private parking garage downtown and then walked over the street via a skybridge adding very little to the vibrancy of the area.

Unlike other businesses downtown such as DaVita, Russell had its own cafeteria within the building isolating many of its employees from the streets of Tacoma.

Hopefully, the new tenants of the Russell building will be more independent and from a variety of companies which will facilitate new businesses and life downtown.  The Russell Building appears to be in good shape and could be relatively easy to lease.

Whatever the future, Tacoma needs to take the initiative and redouble its efforts to reduce the visible blight downtown if it is every going to attract and retain companies downtown and people who would want to work at them.

Erik Bjornson is an attorney in Downtown Tacoma who often writes about urban issues in local papers and blogs.  He is a member of the North End Neighborhood Council and edits the blog the Tacoma Urbanist.

On Monday, The Melon Underground was joined by Tacoma Urbanist, Erik Bjornson, and what ensued was a lively discussion about the Urbanist, and Tacoma.  Included were deliberations about pollution, the future of Ruston, urban development, the Tacoma blogweb, the upcoming elections and more. Join Electric Elliot, Joe Colon, Chris Van Vechten and special guest Erik Bjornson for an hour of the show that at least one guy is talking about – The Melon Underground.

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