Tacoma's historic preservation leaders are at odds with the University of Washington Tacoma over the university's plans to reduce retail space in favor of more faculty offices as it prepares to renovate the historic Russell T. Joy Building on Pacific Avenue in the heart of downtown.
Kevin Freitas, in his comment to the original thread, and in support of the call to action, stated it well:
...It would be a crime to simply convert this current dead zone into yet another dead zone after spending that much money. UWT has been a great example of how efforts like this can help create a vibrant urban core and it would be a shame for them to turn back on those ideals
After mounting pressure from Tacomans seeking a better downtown with retail on Tacoma's Main Street (Pacific Avenue) UWT has now relented and agreed to place retail on he first floor of the Joy Buildling:
The University of Washington Tacoma has changed course on the ground-floor design of its newest Pacific Avenue renovation, giving up on a large classroom and instead planning to lease all the street-facing space to retailers.
In what the chancellor describes as a compromise, the growing school will build two smaller classrooms in the back of the Russell T. Joy Building and market the whole Pacific Avenue front.
The university’s plan last fall – to put two classrooms that could combine into a lecture hall in the front of the building, reducing the retail space – angered downtown business owners, who said the school was backing away from its commitment to downtown retail.
Analysis:
This is good news for the future of Tacoma. Thanks to the great many people who pressured UWT to use taxpayer money allocated from the state in a beneficial way in Tacoma. Tacoma has had a nearly endless list of costly, well intentioned but ultimately destructive projects built in the city.
How ironic it would have been for UWT be offering a burgeoning Urban Studies course only to throw all of good urban design out the window in their own actions by to crippling the urban functioning of Pacific Avenue.
Let's hope UWT makes a better decision next time without requiring such a controversy and conflict with their neighbors. In the meantime, we can watch in celebration as the Joy Building as it is being renovated.
Tree snags were installed yesterday along the Thea Foss Waterway at the Center for Urban Waters site and I thought you might be interested in seeing some of the photos from this installation process.
This installation, which was done via barge, is the first phase of the habitat restoration project that is part of the design and construction of the Center for Urban Waters, a world-class environmental services and research lab facility that is nearing completion. The habitat restoration work is just one part of all of the progressive green systems being used at the Center for Urban Waters see the attached documents for more information.
The tree snags are used as staging, feeding and perching habitat for birds of prey, such as osprey, bald eagles and hawks. The projects design also calls for woody debris to be placed in the water along the shoreline to provide habitat for fish. The snags are cedar and Douglas fir from a nearby clearing. It took about an hour and a half to set all five of them.
If you are interested in sharing these photos, please credit Turner Construction.
And if you need more info about this installation, you can contact Nick Hoffman at Turner 206.473.1705.
In Seattle, the city is celebrating the step by step expansion of their streetcar system as documented in the latest Streetfilm video posted today:
In Tacoma:
Meanwhile, in Tacoma, not only is the streetcar system lacking any timeline for expansion, the City of Tacoma is considering bringing a lawsuit to keep the recently filed streetcar initiative from reaching the ballot:
An effort by two Tacoma residents to put a streetcar system up to a public
vote could be doomed before it builds very much steam.
Last month, Committee to Build the Streetcar submitted a citizen petition to
the city of Tacoma. Written by long-time streetcar advocates Chris Karnes and
Morgan Alexander, the petition calls for funding to come from something called a
transportation benefit district. For every $10 spent in this district, .2 cents
of sales tax would go to constructing and operating the system.
...
Pauli has determined the petition goes beyond the scope of private citizens.
It assumes such a district exists, when in fact the state will only allow a
governing body, in this case the council, to create one. She said she met with
the petitioners to approve their form and assign the measure a ballot title.
Once that process is official, Committee to Build the Streetcar would have 180
days to gather the required number of signatures to qualify it for the
ballot.
Because the initiative assumes an authority the petitioners do not possess,
she said she will soon ask the council to give her authority to request a
declaratory judgment from a court to make it invalid.
....
Karnes, who was not at the committee meeting, acknowledged the council would
need to establish the district. If the measure passed at the ballot and the
council did not do so, other components of the measure would move forward, such
as engineering studies.
He feels Pauli asking for a declaratory judgment would be unprecedented, as
legal flaws in initiatives typically are not challenged until after approved by
voters.
What is being threatened is an unnecessary overreaction by the city.
Commentary:
Courts generally favor resolving the legality of an initiative AFTER the measure has been allowed to be voted on by the public. Hence, the City of Tacoma will have a much more difficult time challenging the Streetcar initiative pre-election.
However, the city council should not spend the time, effort and resources to sue the Streetcar Initiative when it may not pass in the place. Citizens should be allowed to express themselves on the issue.
The city could decide to wait until after the election to take an action. Even then, the city is under no obligation to try to stop the streetcar initiative. In fact the city could choose to (gasp!) support streetcars in the City of Tacoma and come up with their own pro-active plan instead of stop citizens who are trying to move the city ahead on this stalled issue.
The city could take the initiative and be a leader on the issue to make the streetcar initiative moot.
Why not use the time and resources that might be used in the lawsuit to work to follow other cities (like Seattle and Portland) and bring streetcars to Tacoma.
Must Tacomans continue to read about the expansion of Seattle's streetcar system in the Seattle Times time and time again while Tacoma fails to make any progress to expand LINK?
As documented by Streetfilms with great fanfare, Seattle Mayor McGinn bikes 6 miles to work.
McGinn's "green" credibility helped propel him into the mayorship.
Cute.
Yet, Tacoma mayor Strickland lives downtown only a short distance from Tacoma city hall and is able to walk to work.
Although walking may not film as well as a long bike ride, isn't mayor Strickland more "green" than Mike McGinn?
Commentary
A environmental truism is that it is better to reduce one's use of paper than to recycle as recycling takes a great deal of resources. Is it really "green" to drive to work in Tacoma driving a Prius from Gig Harbor everyday?
Likewise, isn't better to have good urban design which reduces the need for moving people preferable to legions of buses? Shouldn't that be Tacoma's primary focus?
(With that said, Tacoma still needs a streetcar system given the size of Tacoma's footprint)
On Thursday, February 11, a group calling itself The Committee to Build the Streetcar submitted a citizens petition to the City of Tacoma. The petition was written by longtime streetcar advocates Chris Karnes and Morgan Alexander. Among the goals of the petition are an expanded Tacoma LINK line up Sixth Avenue, the purchase and restoration of an original streetcar that once ran in Tacoma, and the creation of a Transit Commission to help the city make the plan happen.
Funding for the plan would come from a relatively new mechanism called a Transportation Benefit District. Funding would come from a .2 cents per $10 dollar purchase sales tax within the Transportation Benefit District. Currently, Tacoma does not have a Transportation Benefit District.
In 2008, Tacoma residents approved the Sound Transit ST2 ballot measure, which provides over $80 million in matching funds for expanding Tacoma LINK. Those funds have been accumulating for about a year.
The organizers of Tacoma’s “Build the Streetcar!” initiative hope their effort will result in a similar success. “There are a lot of different pieces in play right now,” said Alexander. “There’s ST2, Pierce Transit doing some major introspection, and the City Manager has been busy lining up partners and funding. We feel the time is right for city residents to get involved and help create something amazing for Tacoma’s future.
The organizers will need to gather over 4,000 signatures by the end of summer.
Those seeking to help gather signatures should contact the organizers: Chris Karnes at 253-267-3754 or Morgan Alexander at 253-228-7271 or visit their website www.BuildTheStreetcar.com.
The longtime goal of many Tacomans restore the streetcar system in Tacoma is getting closer.
We, the undersigned registered voters of The City of Tacoma, State of Washington, propose and ask for the enactment of an ordinance of the measure known as Tacoma Initiative “X” entitled:
<<Insert City Attorney Ballot Language>>
A true, full and correct copy of which is included herein, and we petition the Council to enact said measure as an ordinance; and, if not enacted within forty-five (45) days from the time of receipt thereof by the City Council, then to be submitted to the qualified electors of the City of Tacoma for approval or rejection at the next regular election; and each of us for himself or herself says: I have personally signed this petition; I am a registered voter of The City of Tacoma, State of Washington.
There is already matching money set aside from the last transportation initiative for streetcars in Tacoma from the Sound Transit ST2 ballot measure. Tacoma used to have a thriving streetcar systems that brought life to the city. Other cities in the US like Seattle are adding one streetcar line after another.
Recently, NYC Mayor Bloomberg decided to close down a portion of Times Square to traffic which appeared to benefit the area:
However, there were many car centric opponents lead by DC based A.U.T.O. Lobbyist Veronica Moss who opposed the changes to Times Square:
Final Decision by Mayor Bloomberg
(From the NY Daily News)
Times Square pedestrian zone will remain closed to cars
The crossroads of the World has forever lost its crossing.
Broadway will remain permanently closed through Times Square after an eight-month tryout that infuriated cabbies but delighted tourists.
Mayor Bloomberg is set to announce the decision Thursday morning after weighing the complaints of area businesses against City Hall's statistics.
One person familiar with the conclusions said traffic speeds increased slightly on Seventh Ave., but less than the 17% improvement DOT engineers predicted.
The number of crashes in the heavily congested area was down sharply, the source said - helping cement the decision for Bloomberg.
Read more:
Educational Programs & Operations Replacement Levy
This Replacement Levy (replacing the expiring 2006 levy) accounts for 22.4 percent of the district’s budget for educational programs and day-to-day operations including teachers, librarians, nurses, instructional aides, arts, music, athletics and classroom basics like textbooks and classroom materials.
Not a new tax – replaces expiring levy
Nearly a quarter of funding (22.4 percent) for educational programs and day-to-day operations in the district, including every neighborhood school.
The 2006 Operations Replacement Levy expires in 2010—major cuts without a replacement.
The 2010 Operations Replacement Levy will continue for four years, 2011–2014.
Supports teachers, staff and small classes
Teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses, instructional support staff and para-educators in every neighborhood school are funded through this levy. Funds the equivalent of 600 teachers in our schools.
The Operations Replacement Levy funds small classes.
Provides for classroom and school basics
Academic programs, athletics, arts, music, safety and security programs.
Textbooks and classroom materials, maintaining technology, playgrounds and playfields.
School Facility Improvements & Technology Upgrades Levy The School Facility Improvements Levy will be used to renovate or replace three schools and make district-wide school facility improvements and technology upgrades through a six-year levy, continuing a long-range plan to address the district’s aging schools.
Aged and deteriorating schools & facilities in serious need
Over the last 30 years, the district has replaced or updated 65 percent of old and deteriorating schools.
The School Improvements Levy will renovate or replace three of the district’s oldest and neediest schools, Washington Elementary School and Baker and Hunt middle schools.
The School Improvements Levy also funds district-wide school and facility improvements on roofs, energy-efficient heating/lighting, electrical, plumbing, playgrounds and playfields.
Health, safety and security upgrades
The School Improvements Levy provides funds for health, safety and security system improvements including roofs, seismic upgrades, sprinkler, alarm, security and ventilation systems.
Technology improvements—tools and schools for learning
The measure will support technology and instruction in all schools, creating the best places for teachers and students to teach and learn.
For information, please go to www.tacomaschools.org or call the Public Information Office at 253.571.1015.
On Monday, senior writer Todd Matthews from the Tacoma Daily Index posted a picture of a papered storefront on Pacific Avenue near Pita Pit in the Provident Building.
Picture by Todd Matthews
I had thought that the Verizon advertisement was simply left over advertisements used in papering the window.
To my suprise, however, it appears that a Verizon Wireless store has is in the process of opening. They look to be about 80 percent set up.
Make sure and attend this event today fellow Tacomans:
Politicians usually reserve ribbon cutting ceremonies for the opening of new roads, bank branches or some other highly visible media event.
That is why it is encouraging to see Mayor Strickland helping to celebrate the grand opening of Satellite Coffee and Smooth and Juicy at 1122 Market Street at 5:00 p.m.
Satellite Coffee is owned by Pat Brown:
A cappuccinoat Satellite Coffee
The new businesses are located on the first floor of the Embellish Salon building on Market Street.
Commentary:
The City of Tacoma has tried to revilatalize itself by landing the "big fish" downtown with the development of the Tacoma Dome, Convention Center and trying to lure big companies downtown.
Yet, it is the small businesses such as Satellite Coffee and Smooth and Juicy who make the biggest mark on adding life to downtown Tacoma and who take the most risk. The redevelopment of Tacoma is most likely to succeed block by block and storefront by storefront.
Congrats to the owners of these businesses and to Patricia Lacey-Daly, the owner of the Embellish building.
After visiting the White House with other mayors in Washington D.C., it is great to see that Mayor Strickland can find time to celebrate the opening of a small coffee shop and juice bar downtown.
(Has a mayor in Tacoma ever cut the ribbon for the opening of a small coffee shop or juice bar?)
Bonus: Mayor Strickland in Washington D.C. on C-Span:
Tacoma Streetcars - Join the citywide effort to restore streetcars to Tacoma's Neighborhoods.
Congress for New Urbanism - the leading organization promoting walkable, neighborhood-based development as an alternative to sprawl.
Planetizen - A one-stop source for urban planning news, commentary and interviews.
New Urban News - Discussing traditional neighborhood development focusing on building mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods instead of conventional suburban subdivisions, shopping centers and office parks.
