Link to Remain Fare Free

This past Thursday, the Sound Transit Board voted unanimously to defer the implementation of per- ride fees for the Tacoma Link.  The postponement of fee collection was made possible through a $29,000 annual donation made by the Tacoma Business Improvement Area.  In order to keep customer foot traffic and business patronage in the downtown area high, the BIA has offered this donation to offset Sound Transit’s projected lost net revenues for the year. 

Without the BIA’s donation, the transit agency would have begun charging $1 per adult ride on the Link to offset the cost of running the 1.5 mile line.  Both Mayor Marilyn Strickland and the BIA believe the implementation of a per-ride fee makes more sense once the planned Link expansion in the Hilltop and Stadium districts is complete (estimated for a 2022 completion).  The current arrangement will allow hundreds of thousands people to continue riding the Link for free in the foreseeable future.

For additional information, visit the Tacoma News Tribune here, view the Sound Transit's press release here, or read the Business Examiner's coverage here.

Celebrate Spring and Downtown with the Walk Tacoma 2016 Kickoff

Following the success of the 2015 Walk Tacoma series, this year’s walking series of downtown Tacoma is scheduled to begin on National Walking Day, April 6^th, 2016 at noon on the south side of Wright Park.

Starting with a 1.7 mile historical walking tour of Tacoma’s Historic Schools, the seven-event series aims to provide an easy and active way for Tacoma residents to enjoy downtown Tacoma on foot. With events scheduled at noon and just after five p.m., the 1.5 to 2.0 mile walks provide the perfect opportunity for downtown students, workers, and residents to take a break during or after work and explore new walking routes and attractions with a guided tour.

This year’s themes for the free walking tour series include a Theatre Walk, a Cultural History Walk, a Museum Walk, a Scavenger Hunt, and more.  For a complete list of themes, times, and locations, click here.

You'll Like Tacoma

I have spent roughly the last four years of my life in Downtown Tacoma. Previous to that, I had only driven by Tacoma on my way to other places and was told that Tacoma is not where I wanted to be. As I have come to find, those sentiments were completely false. Tacoma is exactly where I want to spend the rest of my life. I don’t know about all the other Tacoma transplants but I fell in love immediately and claimed Tacoma as my home. 

As someone who grew up in an unincorporated town, I never really had a city to call my own. Without ever moving, my address changed four times due to re-configuring of city lines - I was in no man’s land.  On top of that, the developing suburbs popping up don’t offer the community that I have come to find in Tacoma. There is not an art community.  There are no museums.  There is no night life or wonderful Barre classes to enjoy on Sunday mornings. Coffee is limited to Starbucks and there is seriously only one grocery store. Rather than limited choices and opportunities, Tacoma is full of life and vibrancy.  

You can feel it in the air that Tacoma is the place to be, this is the time that you want to invest and put roots down in the City of Destiny. Tacoma is about to launch into another golden era. 

As our art community grows, as our population diversifies, and as the housing market explodes, Tacoma is sure to become one of the best cities in the country to live in. Whether you are out on your own, happily married, in the middle of growing your family, or entering retirement, our city has so much to offer. We are reaching new medical hub heights, our transportation system is set to expand greatly, and graduation rates are rising. 

While all of this may sound lofty and like a daydream because of the glacial pace that the city is moving, I believe Tacoma will be the next big thing because they are trying to be very intentional on how Tacoma grows. Tacoma cannot just grow for growth sake, it needs to be well thought out and managed otherwise we will be running into problems of the past. Tacoma is ready to launch and I am so honored that I get to be a part of it. 

Tacoma Bike Share Open House

The City of Tacoma is hosting a public open house on February 25th to discuss the prospects of introducing a public bike share system to Tacoma. The City launched an investigative study to explore the viability of bringing a bike share program to Tacoma. The bike share program would be put in place to increase the use of bikes for short-range travel, decrease the use of single occupancy vehicles traveling to Tacoma, and shift to more sustainable transpiration options. 

The open house will teach those who are interested in the types of bike share systems that will work for Tacoma. There will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on the viability, station locations, and the types of technology being proposed. 

The public open house will be held on February 25th, 5:00-7:00pm at 

The Evergreen State College in the Main Hall. 

For additional information you can contact 

Diane Wiatr at dwiatr@cityoftacoma.org or at 253-591-5380.

Read more on the City's work and plans on the bike share program here.

Rad more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/politics-government/article26287957.html#storylink=cpy

A New Location for the Old Spaghetti Factory

Walking into the new Old Spaghetti Factory on Pacific Avenue is just how their management describes it, with such an eye for detail it feels as though you are "stepping into another world." It doesn't matter if you are walking in from the bar entrance or the main dining area, you are immediately surrounded by beautiful rich colors. large area rugs, Victorian inspired lighting, and of course the historical dining trolley.

The Old Spaghetti Factory can now be found in their new home at 1250 Pacific Ave. Tacoma, WA 98402. People trying to get to their old location will find that it is currently fenced off and the University of Washington Tacoma has already begun construction for their new Urban Solutions Center.

The staff was extremely kind as I interrupted their morning setup before opening for the lunch rush. They welcomed me in, gave me a quick tour, and allowed me to snap some photos. I look forward to coming back during their operating hours to grab a tasty bite to eat with family and friends.

Check out their new website here. 

University Y One Year Later

One year ago on January 4th, the University of Washington Tacoma and the YMCA opened a student center unlike any in the country. The University-Y Student Center is so much more than the run of the mill student center. First off, one thing that is very unique about this facility is that it is open to not only students but to the public and regular YMCA members as well. As of today the University Y has 4,406 members, with roughly 80% of membership being represented by the UW Tacoma student population. 

People from all walks of life are able to come together under one roof to workout, play volleyball, come to an event, or be introduced to a college setting for the first time in their lives. 

For the students, this is a place to have fun, workout, build relationships, start a club, or go to work. UW Tacoma has all of their clubs housed at the student center along with programs from student involvement and student government. In the Student Center you can find the Associated Students of the University of Washington Tacoma, Student Activities Board, and others. All of these resources are provided for students and open for all students to join or apply to. The University Y is also proud to offer students a reflection room, where any member can come and take time out of their day for quiet reflection, prayer, or meditation. 

The University and the YMCA are big supporters of giving back to the community and are proud to offer services such as the Juvenile Justice Program, clothing and toy drives, health awareness months, and supporting shelters and soup kitchens in the Tacoma area. 

Some of the exciting things that are going on this month at the Y are that they are having their January promotion that waives their joining fee until January 18th, intramural registration is open January 4-18th, and the New Year will bring the new Jillian Michael’s BODYSHRED classes that are sure to ramp up your workout routine.

To find out more on their website here.

Tacoma Ranked on the "10 Hot Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2016"

Earlier this December, Trulia, named Tacoma 10th on their “10 Hot Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2016.” Trulia regards Tacoma for our natural beauty, the wide array of outdoor activities we have to offer, and a flourishing arts and culture community. 

Another highlight in our ranking is that while we are surrounded by major employers, we have kept the city an affordable place to call home, making Tacoma an “attractive destination for young professionals and families in the Pacific Northwest.” 
Tacoma was listed alongside some amazing cities such as, Grand Rapids, Charleston, Austin, Baton Rouge, San Antonio, and Colorado Springs, just to name a few. 

With the recent announcements of the Link extensions and the luxury hotels that are going to be opening in the next few years, Tacoma will be sure to rank even higher in the years to come.  

Check out the full article here and explore some of the real estate opportunities that Tacoma has to offer. 

Tacoma's First Night Festival

Looking for amazing New Year Eve plans? Tacoma has your answer. For the 20th year, First Night will be hosted in downtown Tacoma. Full of family fun, art, music, fire, ice, and so much more; ringing in the New Year has never been better!

The $10 button required for entrance gives you access to 10 stages, over 50 artists, and all day activities such as, free access to the Museum of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma Children’s Museum, and free skate rentals at Franciscan Polar Plaza. If you don't purchase your button in advance, it will be $14 at the door. 

First night typically draws in anywhere between 10,000 and 20,000 participants so you want to make sure to get there early and grab some parking. They are encouraging attendees to park at the Tacoma Dome and take the Link down to the festival. The Link will be running until 1:00AM and give you plenty of time to get back to your car as hassle free as possible. First Night runs from 6pm-12am on Thursday, December 31st.

There will be food trucks and restaurant deals happening all over town. Be sure to check out their website to get a full list of all the perks and packages available. 

To purchase your button click here and if you want to find out more click here! 

5th Anniversary of the CHI Franciscan Polar Plaza

CHI Franciscan Polar Plaza is here for their fifth year at Tollefson Plaza located at 17th and Pacific. While they are experts in all things fun and ice-skating, this year they have taken entertainment to a whole new level! 

This year CHI Franciscan partnered up with the Tacoma Art Museum, Metro Parks Tacoma and the City of Tacoma to bring you wonderful theme filled adventures. Including a nature skate on December 22nd, a blind date skate on the 23rd, Karaoke Night on the 26th, celebrate a teacher you know and love with Teacher’s Night Out on December 27th, and many more amazing themes! 

There will also be food, music, and art for the whole family to enjoy! Hometown Dogs food truck will be at the rink December 15-17, 19-20 and January 1-3 from 11:30am-9:00pm. 

The Polar Plaza will be open now until January 10th so be sure to skate on down!


For more information and hours click here! 

Hotels on the Horizon

With the announcement of McMenamins winning the bid a few weeks ago for the Old City Hall building, everyone seems to be making announcements for new and upcoming hotel projects for Tacoma's future. 

Almost eight years ago, Bellevue's Silver Cloud Inn and Hotels announced that they would be developing an 180 room hotel on Point Ruston, and it has just been announced that construction is finally underway. The delay can be attributed to a slow moving recession coupled with disputes over land-use permits with the City of Ruston. Bellevue's Silver Cloud Inn and Hotels is set to open in 2018 and planned to include one restaurant, a ballroom, meeting rooms, a pool, an exercise room, and a parking garage. 

There are two other major proposals on the table for the future of Tacoma's tourist and business industry. A Chinese investment group, who is still gathering investors, is interested in creating a 24-story, 300 room high rise. It is proposed that this would be a convention hotel along with a condominium complex. The second is coming from Hollander Investments and they have their eyes on the Thea Foss Waterway. Hollander and Investments is planning to build a hotel and an office complex. The first of the buildings to go up will be a nine-story Marriott Residence Inn that will provided 104 rooms. Ground breaking dates have not been set yet, Hollander and Investments are waiting to see how the other proposed hotels do before starting construction. 

If everything goes as planned Tacoma can expect to see five new hotels, at least one more condominium complex, and an increase in office spaces and store fronts in the next few years. Tacoma truly is the City of Destiny and is planning on making a large impact on Tacoma's small business and local economy. 

ead more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article49463305.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article49463305.html#storylink=cpy

Six Years and Waiting

Announced almost six years ago was the purchasing of the Elks Lodge in downtown Tacoma. Roughly a month ago came the announcement that renovations were finally beginning. Why the six year lag you ask? Well, the purchasing company, McMenamins has your answer.

To find the answer you first need to know who is McMenamins? McMenamins is a Portland based entertainment company that holds properties throughout Oregon, Bothell and now Tacoma. They also only work on one project at a time, which explains the gap. With the Bothell building now complete, it is finally Tacoma’s turn.

Another recent announcement was that the City of Tacoma has awarded McMenamins with the bid for Old City Hall, located across the street from the Elks Lodge.

McMenamins has a thirty year history of turning historic buildings into entertainment and lodging locations. They are currently planning on renovating the Elks Lodge to feature an event space and a rooftop garden, accompanied by three restaurants, a bar, and a brewery. To top off this massive renovation, there will also be approximately 46 hotel rooms for guests to stay and play. The Old City Hall, which will be a few years behind the Elks Lodge, will be a complimentary experience for guests. The plan for Old City Hall is to have at least 60 hotel rooms, a gift shop, soaking pools, community and private meeting spaces, along with a jailhouse themed bar and a rooftop restaurant featuring a greenhouse. The Elks Lodge will have more of a unique floor plan with a labyrinth of different types of rooms, while the Old City Hall will keep its classic design consistent throughout the building.

This is looking to be two very large renovations with promising outcomes. These plans will not only take the burden of these two beautiful yet deteriorating buildings off the shoulders of the city but it will also be an amazing new opportunity for tourism and small businesses to flourish.

The Elks lodge has been purchased completely by McMenamins and due to it being a private selling process, no firm timelines were made mandatory for this building.  However, they are hopeful there will be an opening mid-2017. The Old City Hall is on a lease to potentially own status with firm deadlines so as not to experience a six year lag as with the Elks Lodge. Final details, deadlines, and costs have not yet been set but City Council is hoping to have everything approved by early next year. Decisions on if this will be a purchase to own property are still unclear and neither party is giving an indication on which way they are leaning.

With only a handful of historic buildings left to renovate in Tacoma, many people are looking to see what possible projects could be on the horizon for the companies who were outbid for the Old City Hall. Companies such as, Daniels Real Estate, a Seattle based company with experience in historical restorations, lost to McMenamins but is still interested in moving to Tacoma. Some are speculating that the Washington Building on Pacific Ave, the University-Union Club at 539 Broadway, and the Mansion on Broadway may be next to join the ranks of Tacoma’s beautiful historic renovations. Tacoma has a strong grip on their past and is not going to let changing times take away from the rich history that we have to offer. Restoring historic buildings is classically Tacoma and here to stay for many more generations to enjoy.  

Dia De Los Muertos: TAM's 11th Annual Day of the Dead Festival

The Tacoma Art Museum will be hosting their 11th Dia De Los Muertos festival this November 1st 10:00am-4:00pm. This year they will be hosting a Calavera Costume Contest where you can enter to win a $100 prize. There will be free face painting, sugar skull making, and you can create chalk memorials under the TAM's grand awning.

Artist Rene Julio will be featured along with community and partner made altars throughout the museum. Traditional foods will be served in the TAM cafe along with mariachi music to dance to.  

While the event does run from 10:00am-4:00pm, special times and events have been scheduled throughout the day. From 11:00-12:00pm there will be a mariachi performance by Mariachi Lucero, at 2:00pm Danza Quetzacoatl de Olympia will be performing. 3:00pm the winner of the Calavera costume contest will be announced and throughout the entire day PBS will be screening their series: Latino Americans. 

This event is free and open to the public. There are more activities yet to be announced so be sure to check out their Facebook and website links below.

 I hope to see you all there! 

Find out more on the TAM's Facebook Page or the the TAM website

Get inspired here for Calavera cosutme ideas! 

Film School Shorts is a production of KQED.

Written and directed by Ashley Graham, Kate Reynolds and Lindsey St. Pierre. The film won Gold Medal at the 2013 Student Academy Award for Best Animated Short.

Music by Corey Wallace 

Sound Department Mauricio d'Orey 

Closing One Chapter and Beginning Another

 Last Friday, October 3^rd, the University of Washington Tacoma said goodbye to their 25^th anniversary, said hello to their 26^th the new academic year.  The next 25 years are sure to bring bright minds and innovation to Tacoma and the South Sound area.

The newly appointed Chancellor Pagano welcomed the first year students with words of encouragement and advice. Many students in the crowd are Tacoma natives and are the first in their families to get the opportunity to go to college, making convocation an extremely special event to celebrate the students’ grand accomplishment. Last year the University was at 68% first generation with their student body population just around 4,500 students. This year is sure to increase in both size and in first generation college goers. 

The University prides itself on its Urban Serving mission, which is why Convocation runs through the Downtown area, to show incoming students not only the partnerships that the University has fostered but to show them how much their community supports them. The University is a member of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities. The University and the coalition define themselves as “a network of public, urban, research universities committed to creating an educated workforce, building strong communities and improving the health of diverse populations.”

Tacoma is so unique in the way that it was the community who brought UW Tacoma to life and the community who has supported them in so many ways.  Not many Universities get to say that. Universities and their communities usually are going in two different directions but this is not the case for Tacoma and UW Tacoma. They have grown some much together and continue to grow side by side, serving the South Sound. With the University’s next building project in their sights, they are set to grow once again with the Urban Solutions Center, promising to bring with it more partnerships and students poised to become the future of Tacoma. 

Time to Once Again Brush Up on Tacoma Arts Month

As many Tacoma locals know, the month of October brings many wonderful things to the downtown area. While most cities are hunkering down for the winter and the end of tourist season, Tacoma is still buzzing with so many things to offer. A little cold has never bothered the city with the most grit. Tacoma locals are tough, weather going people with a soft side for art. As you might have guessed it is time for Tacoma Arts Month.

While some exhibits are presented year round in local store fronts and in the plethora of museums that the downtown area has to offer, some of the exhibits are only here for the month of October so be sure to see what our local artists have to offer at this year’s festivities. This year’s 76 exhibits are sure to inspire the artist within us all.

Being the 14^th anniversary for the Tacoma Arts Month, it promises to be a spectacular showcase of art, culture, dance and local businesses. One of the highlights to Tacoma Arts Month is that participants get the opportunity to take a studio tour October 17-18 at 35 locations featuring over 57 artists and a unique look into how their art comes to life. The tours run on both days from 11am-5pm. The tour is a free, self-guided tour and offers the opportunity to purchase art pieces from the artists directly. Be sure to get your Tacoma Studio Tour Passport to earn stamps and win prize packages. Tacoma Arts Month online website offers you a customized map with all tour locations to ensure you don’t miss out and have the opportunity to create your own art experience. Information regarding the passport, maps, and all that the month of October has to offer can be found on their website http://tacomaartmonth.wpengine.com/

Tacoma Arts Month kicks off this Thursday, October 1^st at 6pm at the Historic Tacoma Armory. This is a free public event with no RSVP required. The kickoff will be featuring pop-up exhibits, aerial and cirque performances, dance, poetry, and food. This event is being sponsored by Tacoma Arts Commission, SpaceworksTacoma, Historic Tacoma Armory.

Walk Tacoma - Museum Walk & Kid Walk - Wednesday July 15

Mark your calendars for July 15^th. There are two great events brought to you by Downtown On the Go and their various partners – Walk Tacoma Museums and Family Walk. Detailed information below about both events from a press release put out by Downtown on the Go.

Tacoma, Wash. – Come downtown to experience the Museum District on Wednesday, July 15 at noon for the Walk Tacoma Museum/Family Walk.  These two concurrent walks have something for every age.  The 1.8 mile Museum Walk, led by Council Member Robert Thoms, will showcase our downtown museums with stops at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Tacoma Art Museum, WA State History Museum, Museum of Glass, and LeMay America’s Car Museum. 

The 1 mile Family Walk, geared toward children elementary school age and younger, will include fun activities for kids, a visit by Rhubarb, goodie bags, and a ride on the Tacoma Link.  It will be led by Dianna Kielian, Sr. Vice President for Mission with Walk Tacoma series sponsor CHI Franciscan Health.  The Museum/Family Walk, sponsored by the Tacoma Rainiers, will start outside the Children’s Museum at S. 15^th & Pacific Avenue.  There is no need to pre-register for the event, simply join Downtown On the Go at the meeting spot. 

Downtown On the Go will be collaborating with the United Way of Pierce County and the Children’s Museum of Tacoma to offer the Family Walk.  “The museum is so excited to be a partner in the Museum/Family Walk again this year.  We love to see young families exploring downtown Tacoma and enjoying all of the great parks, museums, and sites that our city has to offer,” said Brenda Morrison, Tacoma Children’s Museum Deputy Director.

Walk Tacoma 2015, sponsored by CHI Franciscan Health, is a nine-event walking series held on first and third Wednesdays, from April through August. The fun, themed walks, now in their sixth year, encourage people to enjoy downtown on foot by introducing new walking routes and sharing information about the community and its history through the guided tours. The walks are scheduled at the lunch hour and just after work to encourage downtown employees to walk during their workday, whether it is to and from work or at a lunch break.

Log your walks on the Trip Calendar at PierceTrips.com to earn prizes and be a part of the 24,859 mile community challenge to Walk Around the World.

For more information on the full Walk Tacoma Series or the Walk Around the World campaign, visit www.downtownonthego.org or find us on Facebook orTwitter.

Resident Engagement this Week - Be Informed, Give Input, and Have Some Fun!

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.

That phrase is actually an old proverb, but you probably know it as the sentence that Jack types over and over again during his psychotic break in the movie The Shining. If you are the literary type, you might remember the phrase shows up in Jack Kerouac’s novel Big Sur.

Well, don’t worry, nothing that heavy or scary here - just a full week of ways to have fun and to “go to work” as an engaged citizen in downtown Tacoma.

Because, all play and no work make Tacoma a dull place.

Bike Train: Bike Me Out to the Ballgame

June 24, 2015 at 5:30 pm

​The Bike Committee is going to bike train from downtown to Cheney Stadium to watch the Tacoma Rainiers play the Reno Aces. The game starts at 7:05 and anyone who bikes to the game gets a special ticket rate of $11.50, which gets you a seat, a hot dog, a bag of chips, and a bottle of water.  Just tell them at the ticket counter that you biked to the game. If you want to join the bike train, meet at S. 11^th and Pacific Avenue.

ST-3 Tacoma Open House

June 24, 2015 at 5:30 pm

Good and plenty of public transit is an important factor for a thriving urban region. You can show up at this open house and give your input to The Sound Transit Board on which projects they should study as final candidates for the ST3 public vote that could be happening as soon as November 2016. The presentation will begin at 6 pm and the open house will take place at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center at 1500 Broadway.

Public Hearing on Draft of Paid Leave Rules

June 25, 2015 at 10:00 am

You have probably heard by now and I will likely be writing more about this soon, but beginning  in February 2016, Tacoma employers will be required to provide up to 24 hours of Paid Leave annually to employees within the City of Tacoma. You can read about the paid leave rules and regulations that have been drafted for review at cityoftacoma.org/paidleave. You can attend the public hearing, and provide your feedback at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch – Olympic Room at 1102 Tacoma Avenue South.

1st Annual Tacoma Waterfront Crab Feed

June 25, 2015 at 5:30 pm

If you are allergic to crab, well, I feel really bad for you and you definitely shouldn’t go to this event. But, for the rest of you – strap on your bib and join the Tacoma Waterfront Association (TWA) this Friday for the first ever Waterfront Crab Feed fundraiser at the Foss Waterway Seaport at 705 Dock Street.

Beyond eating all the crab you can, there will be chances to bid on or win prizes at the silent auction, raffles, and a ring toss. This fundraiser will be an opportunity to highlight Tacoma’s waterfront and the community and businesses within it. The event will feature prominent figures in the waterfront speaking to the latest activities and plans for the future of Tacoma’s waterfront. This fundraiser will help TWA continue its mission of making the waterfront enjoyable and accessible.

You can get your tickets now at: TWA-CrabFeed.brownpapertickets.com!

Pop-Up Art Putt! in Downtown Tacoma

It’s finally here – the U.S. Open Golf Championship has come to the 253. For many, the anticipation has been building for years.

There has been word of Tiger Woods sightings as he played some practice rounds in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Some are hoping that practice might lead to a Tiger return to glory. It seems doubtful.

Others dream of a local boy like Michael Putnam or Ryan Moore coming out of nowhere to win their first major. That also seems unlikely, but would be really cool.

Whatever happens with the actual golf, we are all hoping for a nice economic boost for the city, county, and region. We can anticipate the world will fall in love with the pure aesthetic beauty of the course and its surroundings, as they watch the tournament unfold later this week.

I will not be heading out to Chamber’s Bay for the tournament. I’ve never played the golf course because, well, I’m terrible at and easily frustrated by the game of golf. Why pay all that money to be pissed off and when I can enjoy the course and the view for free by walking the trail? I’ll track the tournament and the coverage on T.V. this week.

If I actually grab a golf club this week, it will be to play something a little more my speed – like the Pop-Up Art Put mini golf course being brought to downtown Tacoma by the Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) and the Tacoma Arts Commission.

Ten local artists have been commissioned to create ten sculptural miniature golf holes for a course that will span TAM’s Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Plaza, Tollefson Plaza, and the Prairie Line Trail.

You can get your club, golf balls, and score cards at the TAM and when you are finished playing the course you can vote for your favorite artist-designed hole. Unlike Chamber’s Bay – this course is FREE to play.

As the first day of play is winding up at Chambers Bay, the party will just be getting started at the Pop-Up Art Putt course in downtown Tacoma.

The Opening Party for the exhibit will be this Thursday June 18 from 5-8 pm. You can dance along the course to tracks spun by a live DJ. There will be food trucks along the course and of course a beer garden, because this is Tacoma.

Come on – go ahead and check this out! This is one hell of a cool idea. Bravo TAM and Tacoma Arts Commission!

Pop-Up Art Putt! Hours will be…

Thursday, June 18, 5 pm – 8 pm
Friday, June 19, 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday, June 20, 10 am – 8 pm
Sunday, June 21, 10 am – 4 pm

I love trains.

I just took the Amtrak down to Portland a few weeks back for a work trip. It is my favorite way to travel to PDX, which I do for work and pleasure at least a few times a year. Portland’s walk-ability and transit system also make it really easy to be without a car.

You may have heard by now that WSDOT will be breaking ground on the new Amtrak station at Freighthouse Square this next year and that new station is schedule to open in 2017.

Parts of the plans for the new station include a clock tower that WSDOT and the Citizens Advisory Committee on the project have hopes will be an iconic addition to the Tacoma landscape.

The proposed clock tower will stand 80 to 90 feet tall and be located on 25th Street, in front of the Freighthouse Square building and across the street from the commuter parking garage.

Whenever someone uses the word iconic – I’ll admit I get a little nervous.

Not because I’m against iconic structures. No, in fact, I think iconic design and architectural elements are an important factor in a community’s identification with its city.

I get nervous because sometimes what gets produced in the service of iconic is something ugly, something out of place, something that isn’t functional, or something that is trying entirely too hard.

I’m not an architect or a designer, but like most of you, I know when something works and doesn’t work. It’s a fine line – trying to create something iconic

In some ways there are a lot of things out of the control of the designers and decision makers that end up making something iconic. Sometimes it is just about timing. Sometimes it’s about the cultural evolution of a place that can’t be anticipated in the moment.

Interestingly enough, we already have an iconic structure in the vicinity of the new Amtrak station – the Tacoma Dome.

The T-Dome is a good example. I’m not sure anyone would call it attractive and in fact many people might call it an eye sore. Nevertheless, it is iconic and you can’t think about the Tacoma landscape without calling to mind the dome.

The structure itself is iconic and that doesn’t even take into account the history that it holds. I wore out my Sonic’s T-Shirt that had the Tacoma landscape worked into the Sonic’s logo from their time playing in the Woodshed in the 1994-95 season. That’s just one of my many favorite pieces of T-Dome history.

One of the things that will make the Tacoma dome even more iconic (in my opinion) is the Warhol Flower being painted on the top of the dome. I know that everyone doesn’t share that opinion, but what I like about it is that it takes something that is already a known quantity and connects it even more deeply to a significant part of our identity as strong artistically oriented city.

Plus, it takes a bit of a risk – which sometimes is needed when trying to create something iconic.

WSDOT put a call out for residents to weigh in on three proposed designs for the clock tower. Today was the deadline for input. I will be interested to see what the feedback is.

I won’t get into the proposed designs, but if you want to read more about them you can check out Matt Driscoll’s article in The News Tribune. Like Matt, I think the clock tower is a good idea, but I’m not sold on any of the current designs either.

Here is the thing about creating something iconic – you can’t let the limitations get in the way.

There are plenty of potential limitations – cost, the limitations of the location, and trying to meet particular deadlines.

Taking a risk is not the same thing as settling for something less the desirable because we lack the will, the imagination, and the determination to create something that really works.

I vote that we take our time.

Matt points out that City Councilman David Boe (an architect) has some ideas, including a city run open design competition – after all Tacoma is full of many great artists, designers, and architects that I believe have the capacity to imagine something that will indeed be iconic.

In my opinion it would be worth the time and effort – let’s get this right.

If at this late hour you still want to weigh in. You can access the survey here - online survey .

Spaceworks Tacoma - Activating Space

Activated space.

It’s one of the most important elements of community development and neighborhood revitalization. It’s importance is understood by both high level urban planners and grass roots community organizers. It speaks both to architectural design and the importance of third spaces for people to gather, and it speaks to everything in between.

In Tacoma we have an inventive and robust effort that understands the importance of activated space - it’s called Spaceworks Tacoma.

Spaceworks is a partnership between the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce that is designed to activate empty storefronts and vacant spaces in the city with art and creative enterprise.

Property owners donate their vacant spaces and Spaceworks makes those low-cost temporary spaces available to artists, entrepreneurs, organizations, and community groups who transform those spaces with creative business, art installations, short term community based projects, or pop-up events.

Spaceworks also provides training, professional development and technical assistance to the participants in the program. 

Have you seen a Spaceworks installation around town? Have you visited a Spaceworks business? Have you attended one of a plethora of creative events and parties held in a Spaceworks activated spaces?

If not, what are you waiting for? They are all around you - in the downtown neighborhood, the Hilltop, the 6th Avenue corridor, and throughout the city.

On June 3rd from noon - 1pm, Spaceworks Tacoma will be highlighted in the Walk Tacoma series for 2015. Spaceworks is hosting a free, guided Public Art Walk that will be lead by Public Art Specialist Rebecca Solverson with the City of Tacoma.

This particular art walk will be 1.5 miles and will explore the local public art and murals found throughout the Hilltop neighborhood. The walk will start at People’s Park on S. 9th and MLK Jr. Way.

One of the more whacky and fun projects that Spaceworks will be involved with is in partnership with the Cartoonist League of Absurd Washingtonians (CLAW) and Downtown on the Go (DOTG).

CLAW has their Open Swim event tonight, May 27th, 7:30 pm at King’s Books. DOTG is sponsoring this open swim event by providing ten blank white bike helmets to be drawn on and decorated by attendees.

The plan is to have the decorated helmets serve as a traveling exhibit for DOTG to be orchestrated by Spaceworks. Rumor has it these helmets might end up on the heads of some well known Tacoma personalities during the Downtown to Defiance event in September. Finally, the helmets will be auctioned off and the proceeds split between DOTG and the CLAW Student Scholarship Fund.

Now that is some creative partnership if you ask me.

The thing about activated space - it is both a function of the space itself and the people that populate it. Spaceworks is doing it’s part. Let’s do ours and populate these spaces with our presence and our dollars.

Road Closures for Daffodil Parade on 4/11/15 in Downtown Tacoma

The 82nd Daffodil Parade to be held Saturday, April 11, 2015 in Downtown Tacoma and will have significant road closures associated with the event. The Special Events Staff shared every effort to minimize the impact to your residence and business will be made. Detour and road closure signs have been posted to anticipate the event. 

Downtown Road Closures:

Roads to be closed or impacted between the hours of 6:00AM to 12:30PM. The parade begins at 10:15AM. 

• Pacific Avenue, from 9th Street to 24th Street/Puyallup Avenue 
• 9th Street will remain open to vehicle traffic
• Cross traffic at 21st will be allowed until Parade start at approximately 10:15AM
• A Street, from 11th Street to 24th Street/Puyallup Avenue (staging and fun run areas)
• Cliff Avenue access will be via 10th & A Street
• Hood Street and parking lot road behind History Museum, from 5:30AM to 10:00AM 
• East 11th Street from Commerce Street to St. Paul Avenue 
• 24th Street / Puyallup Avenue between Pacific Avenue and East D Street
• East D Street and Dock Street will remain open to vehicle traffic
• South 15th Street will allow traffic to A Street after 7AM
• South 22nd, 23rd between Pacific Avenue and A Street, and A Street from 22nd Street to Puyallup Avenue (disbanding areas)

Impact on Local Freeways:

The A Street and 15th Street exits from I-705 will be closed. Schuster Parkway will remain open and Commerce Street will be accessible from the Stadium exit. The I-705-on-ramp at Ninth Street will be open and drivers will be able to cross Pacific Avenue at SR-509 and 21st Street. Detour and road closure signs will be posted. 

Click here to learn more from the City of Tacoma or click here to learn more about the festival.

Picture Provided by the City of Tacoma's Special Events Office