City offers community meeting on downtown economic development strategy
The City of Tacoma cordially invites you to attend an open community meeting regarding the Downtown Tacoma Economic Development Strategy from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on June 24 at the Freighthouse Square Phoenix Room, 430 E. 25th St.
To provide a blueprint for increased investment, the City of Tacoma's Community and Economic Development Department is partnering with AngelouEconomics, www.angeloueconomics.com, an Austin-based economic development consulting firm, to develop the Economic Development Strategy for downtown Tacoma.
The community meeting on June 24 will be your chance to learn about the consultant’s recommendations, which includes significant community input, on targeted business sectors and recommendations for attracting future development and job growth within the city center. Staff from the City of Tacoma and AngelouEconomics will be available to address any questions that may arise from the presentation.
In addition, the City has hired VIA Architects (www.via-architecture.com) to update the City’s downtown plan for long-range planning and zoning. The VIA recommendations will be aligned with the Economic Development Strategy. Representatives from VIA will also be present on June 24 with an overview of the downtown plan update process and solicit feedback on conceptual plan elements. Additional community meetings will be held this summer and fall as the recommendations from VIA Architects evolve.
For more information, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/downtownstrategy or contact Martha Anderson, martha.anderson@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5207.
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D Street Overpass open to traffic in all directions
Thanks to the work and support of many, the $24.5 million D Street Overpass is now open to vehicular traffic in all directions, including the Dock Street connection.
Pedestrian access remains available on the East side of the overpass and will be complete on the West side, which includes Dock Street, by approximately June 25, which will bring the project to substantial completion.
A special ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. on June 25 on the overpass itself and you’re invited! For more information, visit the D Street Overpass news release.
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City Council designates International Financial Services Area
On June 17, members of the City Council passed a resolution that designates an International Financial Services Area (IFSA) as a special emphasis area within the Downtown Commercial Core Zone; requesting the City Manager to develop and report on recommendations for the expansion, retention, and recruitment of international financial services businesses in the IFSA; and stating the Council's intent to request that the Planning Commission evaluate existing downtown zoning regulations with the intent of facilitating international financial services business development.
The IFSA will be defined as the portion of downtown Tacoma between and defined roughly by the parcels on the north side of South 8th Street on the north to the parcels on the south side of South 15th Street on the south; and by the west side of Commerce Street on the west and 1-705 on the east, along with any contiguous parcels.
The City will establish services and incentives that serve to further investment potential within this industry cluster. Financial services are services such as banking, loan, security, investment management and investment advisory, mortgage servicing, contract collection, and finance leasing services engaged in by financial businesses or businesses similar to or in competition with financial business.
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Foss Waterway Seaport public esplanade refurbished
The Foss Waterway Seaport is celebrating the completion and opening of a nearly 400-foot long public esplanade at the seaport. This spectacular pedestrian promenade provides dramatic public access to the city’s waterways and saves Tacoma’s historic Balfour Dock building for another century of service. For more information, visit the Foss Waterway Seaport Web site.
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Green Report: Salvaged materials transformed into art displayed at the EnviroHouse
Everything from street litter and beach debris to a Buddha head and wedding cake topper have been salvaged and transformed into 14 professional works of art on display June 19 through mid-October at the EnviroHouse, the City of Tacoma’s green building and natural landscape exhibit (Tacoma Landfill, 3510 S. Mullen St.). For more information, visit the City of Tacoma news release.
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Taste of Tacoma, Urban Art Festival, Tall Ships, Freedom Fair bring thousands upon thousands to Tacoma
We hope you’ve got your calendars marked for these upcoming festivals that will bring such vibrancy, cultural richness and true economic development to the waterfront and streets of Tacoma:
• Taste of Tacoma, June 27 to 29: Offering 28 restaurant booths and over 20 food product companies, a variety of ethnic cuisine, all-American favorites and entertainment in Point Defiance Park. This event will also feature Wine and Roses, a wine tasting event in the rose garden, which will include our current and several of the former mayors of Tacoma pouring the samples and Lemay Car Museum automobiles.
• Urban Art Festival, June 29, an all-ages celebration downtown of music, DJs, performance art fashion and hand-crafted goods.
• Tall Ships® Tacoma, July 3 to 7: Thirty-two tall ships will visit the Foss Waterway. Experience the charm and romance of the ships along with the fun and excitement of the landside festival.
• Freedom Fair, Tacoma’s 4th of July extravaganza on Ruston Way, including live music, kids entertainment, open-air markets, food courts, pole vault competitions, Army landing craft rides, a classic car show, military exhibits and more!
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