A Facelift for Freighthouse Square

After two years of strenuous conversations over the location of the new Tacoma Amtrak station, the Washington State Department of Transportation is happy to announce that the new location will be located at the historic Freighthouse Square. 

The new station and construction will be necessary because passenger trains will now be using new routes starting in 2017. Instead of the existing station on Puyallup Ave, the new location with be at the to-be renovated Freighthouse Square. The new location will cut eight minutes off travel time for those going to and from the Seattle-Portland stations and will relieve congestion on the waterfront line. Along with these improvements, Amtrak will be increasing the number of passenger trains traveling from Seattle to Portland from five daily trips to seven in 2017. The Washington State Department of Transportation are putting the final touches on the plans and will be advertising for bids in February and are hoping that construction will begin mid-spring. 

So far the plans for Freighthouse square include the middle portion of the building to be demolished and replaced with the new station, on the original footprint. Currently WSDOT is still negotiating details and selling price with the building’s owner, Brian Borgelt. While the process has been rather long and drawn out, Borgelt is hopeful that everything will be settled soon. 

One thing that comes to mind when talking about Freighthouse is all the small business located within the building. Borgelt has made it one of his goals to keep the businesses in the non-demolition location open and viable for business. The businesses located within the breakdown sight have already been moved out in preparation. 

For more information click here.

Two Big Wins for Tacoma Transit

Last week the Sound Transit Board approved their 2016 budget, which dedicated funds to Tacoma, Lakewood, Federal Way, Seattle, Everett and other transit systems. The Sound Transit Board approved an overall budget of $1.2 billion; $802.9 million of that was dedicated to expansions with an emphasis on light rail expansions. 

Some of the plans include $44 million to complete the final design and begin constructing the Tacoma Trestle, $7 million for the Tacoma Link extension, $11 million to complete final design and start construction of an expanded Sounder layover facility in Lakewood that will accommodate added south line service by 2017, $9 million to purchase new coaches for expanded Sounder service to Lakewood, and many other projects around Western Washington. 

More funding will be made available to Tacoma from the Federal Transit Administration's budget, as voted on last week by the House and Senate. Sound Transit reports $74.99 million in Small Starts funding will be dedicated to extending the Tacoma Link light rail line into the Hilltop neighborhood. The funding will go specifically towards the expansion voters approved in 2008. The expansion will create an additional 2.4 miles along Stadium Way to the Hilltop District. 

Moving forward with the strong support for continued expansions the Sound Transit Board will be placing a comprehensive package for voters to consider next November. The measure will be known as the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure and will be available as a draft in early 2016. 

Follow the links below for more information: 

RT&S

Business Examiner 

City Announced Tentative Hotel Deal in Downtown Tacoma

The City announced Tuesday a tentative deal to bring a new development into downtown Tacoma. It is a two phase project beginning with a 4 star, 300 room hotel, and parking structure. The second phase will include a 200 residential condo with ground floor rental office space.


The firm, Yareton Investment and Management LLC struck a deal with the City based on their ability to complete the due diligence and entitlement process.  If both phases are complete this project will be valued at $150 million.


The hotel will be built south of the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center at 17th and Broadway. This project will allow the convention center to expand their event size, because they are already limited by hotel space.


This hotel is projected to break ground in 2016 if approved, then take an additional 2 years to build. This is exciting project for downtown Tacoma, and will continue to add another layer of economic stability to our city.

Future of South Downtown Survey

On the topic of surveys, the City has put out a survey on the future of South Downtown.  The City is undergoing a multi-year planning process for the area including the Dome District, Brewery District, Hillside, UWT, and the Foss Waterway.  (These boundaries are identified by the black line above.)


The survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SouthDowntownTacoma


It has about 50 questions and will take about 10 minutes.  The City and the stakeholder group working on the plan will use these responses to help guide the planning process for the future of this area.  As an added bonus, once you finish the survey, you can see what other people have said so far.

Planning South Downtown

The City of Tacoma is planning for growth in the south end of Downtown.  To best determine what should be anticipated, they are turning to you for guidance.

The City wants to develop a plan complementing the needs of current residents, businesses and property owners with the need to accommodate 60,000 new jobs and 70,000 more people by 2030.  The south downtown area is expected to handle significant growth as up to 30 million more square feet of development could be developed.

Under this project, the City is evaluating the area bounded by South 15th Street, East D Street, I-5 and Yakima Avenue.  This includes major facilities like UW Tacoma, Foss Waterway, Tacoma Dome, and Brewery District.

For more information on the project and learn how to contribute, please stop by the Carwein Auditorium on the UW Tacoma campus from 4PM-7PM, today, December 1st or contact Chelsea Levy with the City of Tacoma at clevy@cityoftacoma.org.

Urban Grace Church hosts town hall meeting on urbanism tonight

Join Rev. Eric Jacobsen, Mayor Marilyn Strickland and other local urbanists for a presentation and panel discussion on urbanism and development in Tacoma.

Time: February 25, 2010 from 7pm to 8:30pm
Location: Urban Grace Church (S. 11th and Market St.) in the Parlor
Organized By: Theater District Town Hall

Rev. Eric Jacobsen, senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church has devoted a considerable part of his career to taking a hard look at "poor decisions that are being made in this country regarding our human habitation" or what he calls the "false gods" and "broken promises" of sprawl and standardization. Following on his presentation during last fall's Urban Design Lecture Series, Conversations re: Tacoma, we have the opportunity to hear Jacobsen share his thoughts at the upcoming Theater District Town Hall meeting at Urban Grace.

The meeting will feature a keynote by Jacobsen, followed by a panel discussion with Jacobsen, developer and downtown resident Blaine Johnson, Mayor Strickland, Executive Director of the Tacoma Housing Authority Michael Mirra, Urban Grace Pastor Tad Monroe, and a representative from the Broadway Center. The panel will conclude with an open discussion with the audience.

This event is free and open to the public.

Creating Something Out of an Abandoned Brewery District- IDA Conference Part 2

I had the opportunity to tour the long-vacant former Pabst Brewery today. As a loyal PBR drinker the opportunity made me nostalgic for my college days, but it also peaked my professional interest as a planner ruminating over what to do about our own long-vacant Heidelberg Brewery.

There are many similarities between the two development opportunities and I only hope that the City of Tacoma learns from Milwaukee’s near missteps and builds on the Brewery City’s successes.

The Pabst Brewery, which closed in 1996, sits on a 21-acre site adjacent to Interstate 43 and is minutes from downtown Milwaukee. The site includes 16 historic tax credit eligible buildings, 6 construction-ready parcels and two parking garages to be built by the Master Developer, Joseph Zilber, Chairman of Brewery Project LLC. Mr. Zilber, stepped forward to purchase the site after a previous entertainment-oriented redevelopment proposal fizzled. Through this project, Mr. Zilber envisions creating a new mixed use neighborhood rather than, as one of the project investors described the previous proposal, a passing retail fade.

The Brewery Project LLC is using historic tax credits and tax increment financing to rehabilitate the historic buildings, including the old boiler building, brewing laboratories and grain silo. The buildings will be renovated and sold to new owners looking to creating new retail, residential and offices uses on the site. Already the property houses the Blue Ribbon Loft Apartments and a development firm. Seventy-percent of the residential units are affordable to low income tenants and intended as live/work artists lofts. The University of Wisconsin has expressed interest in relocating and expanding their Public Health program in the old beer bottling building that was made famous in the opening scenes of the TV series Lavern and Shirley.

Highlighting environmental sustainability is an essential component of the project, which boasts an on-sight storm water management system and 90% construction waste recycling. The project is also reconnects long-vacated streets to the grid and incorporates porous street pavement to minimize water run off. For their efforts, the developers are being rewarded as contenders for LEED Platinum Certification upon project completion.

As an outsider to this massive project it looks to me like the developers and the City of Milwaukee are doing everything right. This is an exciting and inspirational project. The proximity of Tacoma’s own Brewery District to our downtown and the district’s historic buildings pose an equally exciting prospect, but we must learn from the Brewery City and NOT COMPROMISE. Tacoma is deserving of the best designed buildings that pay homage to our culture and history. We must not settle for the newest best offer that comes our way, but instead demand quality design and uses that compliment our community.

Retail Recruiting- IDA Conference Part 1

I am in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this week at the International Downtown Association Conference. The conference, hosted each year by a different city U.S. or Canadian city provides lectures and conversations on downtown retail development, safety and security, creating great public spaces, parking management and urban design. I’ll be reporting over the next couple days on what I learn.

It’s comforting to know that when it comes to downtown retail, Tacoma is not alone. Milwaukee, a city of nearly 600,000 people has blocks of vacant store fronts and towers of vacant office space just like us. However, Milwaukee is taking bold steps to combat their downtown vacancy rate and rejuvenate their street life. In addition to a city branding campaign and functional wayfinding system, Milwaukee has hired retail consultants, CivicVisions not to just revitalize downtown retail, but to transform downtown through strategic retail recruitment.

We all know that amenities attract people, but it’s attracting the right mix of amenities to downtown that’s tricky. To do this, Milwaukee’s consultant CivicVisions suggests:

· There is not quick fix to retail recruitment. A downtown retail strategy is a long-term plan that is implemented over three to five years or more.

· Define a distinct geographic area of downtown to attract retail to. Do not try to attract new retail everywhere at once.

· Hire a trained retail recruiter who is familiar with our community and committed to it, has plenty of retail and merchandising experience, and is good at both building relationships and selling the community’s vision.

· Identify the type and quality of businesses you want and be discerning about the ones you go after. Businesses attract other like-businesses, but the wrong business can inhibit recruitment of the ones you want.

· Property owners must be part of the solution and help to develop a strategy that incentivizes the right mix of retail services and amenities.

· Façade updates that modernize buildings and improve merchandise displays will likely need to be part of the strategy.

This makes sense to me. Maybe it’s time for Tacoma to try out a retail recruiter again…

Russell Leaves…What’s the Next Step for Tacoma?

While news of losing the Frank Russell Company may initially feel like a punch in the gut that knocks the wind out of us all, once we regain our collective breath we realize that now is the opportunity to define our City and our direction for the future. There is much to be excited about.

Last night amid the clack of pool balls at a well know local watering hole a group of Tacoma’s notorious urban schemers met to discuss the future of Tacoma in a post-Russell world. The clear tone among the group was that what we all love about Tacoma does not exist thanks to one employer. We choose to live and work in Tacoma because of the people, the activities and the opportunities to collectively create a place that reflects the interests, ideas and passions of the people who live here.

So I ask, what do you want, citizens Tacoma? What is your vision for our community?

Do you want to create a vibrant urban center filled with arts, music, parks, and bikes and streetcars? If so, how do we get there? What should we prioritize in our urban centers parking or people? Culturally, what do we need as community members to fulfill our hearts and minds? What can we do to better promote the arts and support our homegrown artist? How do we bring business to Tacoma and fill our downtown with bustling shops and great places to work? How do we tell people about what we’ve got? What must we do to highlight our great neighborhoods and vibrant downtown to small businesses, new employers, and potential residents? All of these questions need answers, the best of which come from you, citizens of Tacoma.

This is an exciting time for Tacoma, a time to define where we go next. There are innumerable opportunities to influence the shape, look and feel of our community. Here are a handful of opportunities, events and ways to get involved. I know there are others and I encourage you to get involved and help shape Tacoma’s future.

Brewery District Plan

Mobility Master Plan

Downtown Parking Meters

Clean and Safe Teams and initiatives

Pierce Transit System Redesign

PSRC’s Transportation 2040 plan

Go Local Tacoma

City of Tacoma Neighborhood Councils

The Arts

Paid On-Street Parking...It's Coming...Really

Parking pay stations are coming to the streets of downtown Tacoma. According to City Manager Eric Anderson, expect to see the meters on street this spring.

This announcement is the culmination of nearly a decade of conversations and debates about paid on-street parking. Throughout the years conversations have centered around the tedious balance between charging for parking without deterring customers and having available on-street parking spots for customers and clients.

Most recently the Parking Implementation Committee, comprised of stakeholders from throughout the City’s business districts and downtown worked with consultants to devise a strategy to implement paid-on street parking.

With current demand for downtown on-street parking out pacing supply, the turning point in the conversation was acceptance of a widely held transportation theory that parking pricing should be market based and set at a price point that supports 15% parking spot vacancy. The theory in practice is intended to insure that, while you might not be able to find a spot in front of your favorite business, with 15% vacancy you’ll likely be able to find and pay for one down the street.

How it will work
If approved by the City Council the first phase of parking meters we be rolled out in roughly the BIA boundaries, between S. 7th and S. 21st and between I-705 and Market St.

The pay stations will be similar to Seattle’s where a user purchases a window sticker for and can take extra parking time with them for errands in other parts of the paid parking zone.

The City Manager is asking the Council to set the initial rate at 75 cents per hour with an understanding that this rate will adjust to facilitate 15% vacancy. All revenues generated from the pay stations will stay within the parking system, which supports parking-related investments.

A citizen’s advisory committee will be formed to advise the City on rate and policy changes as the public adjusts to the new system.

Timeline
September 15th: Pay station proposal reviewed y Committee of the Whole
September 22nd: Council Study Session will review proposed Ordinance
September 29th: First reading of Ordinance
October 6th: Second reading of Ordinance

If passed by Council an RFP for the pay stations will be issued in mid-October and the contract placed at the end of November.

The City Manager is planning a 3 to 4 month public outreach and education campaign in preparation for the pay stations to be installed by April.

What if I don’t want to pay for parking?
There are numerous resources to help downtown employers, employees, residents, customers, visitors, and students get out of their cars an into a bus, van/carpool on to a bike, walking or teleworking. The friendly people at Pierce Transit www.piercetrips.com and Downtown: On the Go! can help you with all your commuting needs. Even changing your commute just once a week will save you money.

Conversations RE: Tacoma brings urban planning to the masses

The Southwest Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture and The Harris Architectural Trust are teaming up with other local organizations for the 1st annual lecture series, Conversation RE: Tacoma.

Through this three-part lecture series the AIA and others hope to provoke thought, inform the public and stimulate conversation about Tacoma’s urban form and the communities we are building through the City’s Comprehensive Plan. These are opportunities for community-wide discussions about our City’s design future.

IT"S OUR CITY, let’s redefine it and reinvent it.

For more information go to http://www.retacoma.com/.

Shoup Talks Tacoma Parking

The City of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber teamed up to sponsor a public lecture and conversation with renowned parking expert and UCLA professor Donald Shoup. City staff, residents, business owners, and students gathered at UWT on Wednesday morning to talk parking in Tacoma.

But parking is not just about parking, according to Professor Shoup. He has done extensive research on connections between parking and transportation, land use, economic development, and the environment. His engaging presentation was rich with Tacoma examples and images. He also highlighted United States' car-centric culture and the consequences on our cities, health, and land. (Did you know that there are 18% more automobiles than there are licensed drivers in the U.S.?)

Professor Shoup is well-known for his analysis of the "high costs of free parking," arguing that while a driver may not pay a direct fee for pulling into a "free" parking space, there are hidden costs for the community, businesses, and he advocates for charging the right price for parking, which is the lowet price that will still maintain some vacant slots. He also advocates for parking meter revenue to go directly to the neighborhoods that genereate it so people see the connection between their fare and safety, cleanliness, and aesthetics.

After the public lecture, City Staff stayed for a private conversation with Professor Shoup.

If you weren't able to get your dose of parking this week (or if you want more), here is a link to a 2007 New York Times editoral by Professor Shoup.

The Parking Puzzle: How the pieces fit in downtown Tacoma

The City of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber invite you to a free public conversation with renowned parking expert and UCLA professor Dr. Donald Shoup.

Dr. Shoup has done extensive research on parking as a key link between transportation and land use, with important consequences for cities, the economy, and the environment. With this expertise, Shoup will address parking and mobility in downtown Tacoma.

Dr. Shoup will also be giving the keynote address at the PIPTA (Pacific Intermountain Parking & Transportation Association) annual conference and trade show being held in Tacoma July 26-28.

When: Wednesday, July 29, 8-9 am

Where: UWT Carwein Auditorium

Who: Open to the public

Cost: FREE!

This is an exciting opportunity for us transit and parking geeks, and anyone interested in the economic vitality of our downtown - mobility is key.

See you there!

How Do You Envision Tacoma?

Is your vision of Tacoma the tough blue collar industrial town of years past, the cultural and artistic center of the Puget Sound, a bustling walkable community, a bit of all three or something completely different?

The Puget Sound Regional Council projects Tacoma to grow by 127,000 people by 2040, this growth will be like adding the population of Bellevue within Tacoma’s city limits.

The City of Tacoma has a vision for where to put all these extra people. Their vision is articulated in the mixed use centers strategy, which attempts to strategically direct this anticipated growth into existing neighborhoods and business districts by increasing the allowable heights is these districts and offering additional bonuses to developers that provide public amenities.

The City Planning Commission has closely reviewed the mixed use centers process and proposals and has provide a series of recommendations to the City Council to be included in the Mixed Use Centers Zoning and Land Use Code amendments.

Transportation and smart growth advocacy organizations, Transportation Choices Coalition and Futurewise commented on the proposed amendments in an op-ed in today’s News Tribune.

The first reading of the mixed use centers ordinance (No. 278180) will be heard by the Council at today’s City Council meeting, 5pm in the Council Chambers, 747 Market Street.

Chairs and Tables in Tollefson, One man's experience

Thank you to Andrew Fry for sharing his Tollefson Plaza experience with us. Please read his Tollefson Ice tea post and share your own new Tollefson experiences here.

Lunchtime Vendors and Entertainment Coming to Tollefson

Take your lunch break in Tollefson Plaza- every Friday starting July 10 to September 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your own lunch or buy food from local restaurateurs and enjoy free entertainment from local musicians.

By July 10th, the first of the Summer Lunch Series, you’ll be able to sit comfortably under the shade of one of the plaza’s new umbrellas, and enjoy live music from the Caribbean band Island Jamz. Other performers this summer will include Shakespeare performances by “Shakespeare in the Parking Lot” and live acoustic music from local performers.

Vendors, entertainers and musicians are being scheduled for this summer. For a schedule of events and vending information, please e-mail Vy Dotson at vyd@tacomachamber.org.

Expect Construction Delays at S. 9th and Broadway

Starting on Tuesday, May 26, contractors will begin to install new power and communication vaults at the intersection of South Ninth Street and Broadway near the Pantages Theater. While this work is underway, the eastbound lanes (downhill) of Ninth Street will be restricted to one-lane.

Due to ongoing work at this intersection, restrictions and delays can be expected over the next several weeks. Signs and flaggers will be in place to notify drivers in the area of the traffic revisions. There will also be temporary sidewalk closures. Pedestrians will be able to cross at South Ninth Street and St. Helens Avenue, but not at Broadway.

This work is outside the scope of the Broadway Local Improvement District, but is associated with the project.

Pictures from Tacoma’s Most Notorious Bathhouse

I recently had the opportunity to explore the old Turkish bathhouse that will soon function as a rain cistern, collecting water for Pacific Plaza’s green roof and to flush the building's toilets. The bath's size is 25 feet wide, 100 feet long and 9 feet deep - combined with a smaller concrete pool room below it, will hold roughly 190,000 gallons of water.

The bathhouse was originally built more than 110 years ago, and likely catered to loggers from Turkey, Russia and Sweden looking for an opportunity to “literally soak the dirt out of every pore.”
Later, the Turkish bathhouse developed a more checkered history. According to Michael Sullivan, local historian and principal of Artifacts Consulting, the bathhouse was owned during different generations by two of Tacoma's most notorious vice kingpins - Peter Sandberg and Vito Cuttone. Sandberg ran Tacoma's prostitution business at the turn of the century and Vito Cuttone, ran the Italian mob in Tacoma after the Second World War.

Dan Voelpel wrote a great article in the News Tribune about the Turkish bath back in December 2008. (Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it on the TNT’s site, so you’ll have to read it from the Seattle Times.)

Here’s what the bathhouse looks like today:

Steam pipe

12th and Pacific Hill Climb Gets a Facelift

The hill climb just north of Pacific Plaza at 12th and Pacific is slated for major improvements in conjunction with the Pacific Plaza renovation. The 12th and Pacific Hill Climb, which was once home to one of Tacoma’s notorious outdoor escalators is currently characterized by a wandering staircase and overgrown vegetation. Coupled with the Pacific Plaza construction, this hill climb (not unlike the others around town) is cold, dark and uninviting.

However, the planned improvements will provide a much needed pedestrian link between Commerce St. and Pacific Ave. The City and BLRB Architects have developed a plan to replace the stairway and plants with a design-to-suit retail building and outdoor courtyard as part of the Pacific Plaza redevelopment. A 15 foot wide stairway will be built where the cement catacomb that once housed the escalator now stands.

Plans for this project have included a number of community stakeholders. Public Art for the area is coordinated by the City’s Arts Administrator, Amy McBride. The owners of the adjacent building are working with local architect David Boe to design small improvements to their building that will promote plenty of watchful eyes on the stairway and courtyard. Lastly, The designs were reviewed by the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma Police Department and take into consideration Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) recommendations.

The designs were reviewed by the City Council’s Economic Development Committee last week. Look for construction of the improvements to begin soon.

LeMay Museum Moving Forward?

Phase I of the Harold E. LeMay Museum is looking for funding opportunities for the $28,441,070 project.

Yesterday representatives from the LeMay Museum asked the City Council’s Economic Development Committee to consider financing support for the museum through the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 108 loan program allows CDBG Entitlement communities, like Tacoma to borrow money for certain community development activities. The LeMay project qualifies as an economic development activity within the Section 108 program.

The $3,500,000 of Section 108 loan proceeds will be leveraged with New Market Tax Credits, a conventional loan from US Bank and equity to build phase I of the LeMay Museum on a site provided by the City of Tacoma near the Tacoma Dome.

Phase I, which will begin the permit process this spring, is anticipated to create 90 jobs and will consist of:

• 150,000 square foot Collector Car Center displaying 600 cars


• 8 Galleries


• Theater in the round


• 1 kilometer road displaying vehicles and exhibits


• Café


• Banquet hall


• Councours Club


• Club Auto


• Education Center with library and classrooms


• Auto maintenance facility


• Four-acre show field

The museum anticipates future private retail development and a dining complex housing a multiplex theater.

The full council will hear the financing proposal at the April 15th City Council meeting.