Tacoma Urbanist
Aug. 25, 2008 at 12:35pm
Department of Ecology Approves Foss Height Changes
I commented on the City of Tacoma's proposal to change the height on the Foss Waterway program.
Today, I received a packet from the Department of Ecology with Findings and Conclusions finding that the "wedding cake" form of design to maximize views with view corridors was accepted.
No doubt there will be much written in the msm about it.
Commentary
This is a good result. The height limit before was 100 feet on the entire waterfront which would have blocked all views. The staggered tower design will lower the height in some areas allowing more views. Might as well have high towers (up to 180 feet) where views are blocked anyway.
For someone walking on Firemans Park, this design will allow more views of the water.
Also, the waterway is going to need a lot of density should it ever be more than a dead zone it is now. This also will help make the walkway on the waterfront functional for longer periods of time.
Of course, the challenge is now that there may not be sufficient demand to build anything.
See also City of Tacoma documents.
Exit 133 commentary
 by Erik on 8/25/2008 @ 1:22pm | Ok. Let's see how the information propagates through Tacoma. 12:35 p.m. posted by Tacoma Urbanist i.feedtacoma.com/Erik/department-ecology... 1:07 p.m. covered by Exit 133: www.exit133.com/4459/department-of-ecolo... |
 by morgan on 8/25/2008 @ 2:39pm | With a little vision, Tacoma could look like Vancouver BC...
...someday. |
 by NineInchNachos on 8/25/2008 @ 3:09pm | I can see this getting picked up by the business examiner... getting circulated amongst the squares. |
by Erik on 8/25/2008 @ 3:54pm | Tribune via Niki Sullivan 3:04 p.m.: www.thenewstribune.com/news/breaking/sto... With a little vision, Tacoma could look like Vancouver BC... Yeah. They have retail open till 11:00 p.m. |
by Erik on 8/25/2008 @ 4:26pm | New Tacoma Neighborhood Council via email 4:22 p.m. |
by Erik on 8/27/2008 @ 3:45pm | Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce today
covers the issue: In a planning process that began in March 2004, the Washington State Department of Ecology recently approved an amendment to Tacoma’s Shoreline Master Plan that allows for 180 foot towers to be built on the west side of the Thea Foss, north of the Murray Morgan Bridge. The property in question is owned by SimonJohnson LLC who has proposed to build up to four mixed use towers on the site. SimonJohnson is interested in possibly providing space for residential, commercial and retail tenants in the development as well as providing for parking and recreational uses. tacomadowntown.blogspot.com/2008/08/towe... |
 by urbanmatter on 1/5/2009 @ 8:25am | Correct me if I am wrong, but isnt 180ft about twice as tall as any height allowed by shoreline zoning found anywhere in the entire state? If something of this scale gets built I believe, at the very least, it will look totally out of place. |
 by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 1/5/2009 @ 8:29am | Now, let us see if this thing actually gets built. At the very least we should hold SimonJohnson's feet to the fire and make them build this thing. It would certainly stimulate some of the economy. I suspect they'll just sell this parcel off at a huge profit now that the height limit is 180 feet. Nice going, SimonJohnson. |
 by fredo on 1/5/2009 @ 10:57am | The city is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The economy is going down in flames and the likelihood of building skyscrapers down there is remote. Is the property more valuable with the new height limitiations? That remains to be seen.
If the city wanted to get serious about economic development it would approve new height allowances in the mixed use centers. |
| Post Reply: |
About
A ongoing conversation to make Tacoma a better to live and work through better urban design.
See my Downtown and Neighborhood Pictures
-Erik B.
Most Popular Posts:
1. Tacoma Coffee Shop Showdown
2. Traffic Calming Portland Style (by painting intersections)
3. Tacoma's Relevance to Presidential Election 2008
4. Daniel Blue and RR Anderson
5. Tacoma Document Archive - Key City Documents, Court Documents, Links, Books, and Videos.
6. Is your city worth caring about? James Kunstler discusses how to make your community a place worth caring about.
Useful Links
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.