by Jake
on 3/18/2008 @ 1:07am | The building is actually going in at 19th and MLK. I have heard the Tully's rumor for a while but last time I spoke (sometime last year) with the developer they didn't have anyone set in stone. I believe Tully's is going through some financial issues right now too so I am not sure how much expanding they would be doing. I am sure we will find out soon. |
by Gorman
on 3/18/2008 @ 6:22am | I think cofee there would be great, really any type of retail is needed.
Although, I don't see where a drive through could be located. The building is built to the edge of the alley and there isn't room behind the building... |
by thriceallamerican
on 3/18/2008 @ 7:26am | If it's going to be a chain/franchise sort of operation, I'd love to see another Forza. They're more local than $tarbux or Tully's, being a franchise means the store owners may even live in Tacoma, and their decor (fireplace, big wooden bar, etc.) lends itself quite nicely to people actually sitting down and enjoying their coffee instead of the get-in-get-out phenomenon, drive-through aside... |
by KevinFreitas
on 3/18/2008 @ 8:06am | I'd like to see another 2 or 3 stories on top of this to make it mixed-use. Could help offer up more affordable urban housing and start more of a trend in this direction. |
by ensie
on 3/18/2008 @ 8:23am | Honestly? I'd like it to not be another coffee place. I know that's sacrilege in the Pacific Northwest, but there are so many other types of retail that could be beneficial.
I also agree with Kevin - a mixed use building would be nice. Tacoma could use more of that type of offering around town. The more modern construction tends to be more mixed use, so maybe we'll get it. |
by Erik
on 3/18/2008 @ 8:38am | The building is actually going in at 19th and MLK. I have heard the Tully's rumor for a while but last time I spoke (sometime last year) with the developer they didn't have anyone set in stone.
Hold on a minute Jake. Are you calling into question the accuracy of information found on a Realtor (TM) flier? What are you saying? :)
I'd like to see another 2 or 3 stories on top of this to make it mixed-use. Could help offer up more affordable urban housing and start more of a trend in this direction.
Me too. The height limit would certainly allow something like that there but integrated housing like the Gamble Building difficult these days due to off-street parking requirements and I doubt they are going to the expense to place the parking underground.
Hence, alot of Tacoma's affordable housing concerns are self imposed.
Here's how it used to be done, now illegal:
(Gamble Building in Proctor with apartments upstairs)
and:
(NW Shop Building in Proctor w/apartments upstairs)
Honestly? I'd like it to not be another coffee place. I know that's sacrilege in the Pacific Northwest, but there are so many other types of retail that could be beneficial.
I agree there are getting to be alot of coffee places in Tacoma. However, Hilltop has zero right now. I think they had The Usual for a time which used to be on 21st Street. |
by Erik
on 3/18/2008 @ 8:54am | They're more local than $tarbux or Tully's, being a franchise means the store owners may even live in Tacoma,
Forza v. Tullyu's Coffee?
Hmmm. That would be an interesting contest. |
by thriceallamerican
on 3/18/2008 @ 9:07am | The Usual, when on Hilltop, was on 11th, not 21st.
And yeah, that is an area that doesn't have much in the way of coffee shops. Living near the 6th Ave Starbucks, I can attest via direct observation of my neighbors that large numbers of people will walk to get a cup of coffee... |
by izenmania
on 3/18/2008 @ 9:54am | It is interesting that Forza is considered "more local" just because they haven't been around as long, and therefore haven't spread to other parts of the country/world. |
by thriceallamerican
on 3/18/2008 @ 10:00am | No, I meant "more local" because Forza is based in Gig Harbor, as opposed to Seattle. Not to mention having franchised stores instead of corporate-operated stores, meaning that even if they expand to Kansas someday, those stores can be Kansas owned (with a nice chunk of franchise fees coming back to Gig Harbor).
Edit: Apparently that should be Gig Harbor, not U.P. as I originally said...edited above. (p.s. to kevin: is there a reason that neither the del or strike tags work? I think I'm using them right...) |
by izenmania
on 3/18/2008 @ 10:22am | Aha, understandable. I've run into enough people who really do think of Forza the way I mentioned that I figured that was what you meant, too. |
by KevinFreitas
on 3/18/2008 @ 10:31am | (thrice: those are stripped out now but I'll allow them and post a key for what's allowed below the message box as well) |
by Erik
on 3/18/2008 @ 10:41am | It is interesting that Forza is considered "more local" just because they haven't been around as long, and therefore haven't spread to other parts of the country/world.
Yes, and adding complexity to the "Go Local" community discussion.
Either a Tully's or a Forza on Hilltop would be a huge milestone for the area. |
by ZestyJenny
on 3/18/2008 @ 11:48am | Being so close, we got the plans for the building in the mail about a year ago. There were 4 retail spaces, with a drive thru on the end.
I realize that a drive thru wouldn't be the best news for most neighborhoods, but given there was an abandoned lot there before, I'll take it.
Besides, I'm selfishly envisioning the quick swing through there on the way to work, then right onto I-5.
There have been many rumors on this block as to what coffee is going in there and the last one I heard (before the flyer) was that it was going to be Bertolino Bros.
I would also like a pho place, some decent burritos, and maybe a flower/gift shop. |
by thriceallamerican
on 3/18/2008 @ 12:53pm | I realize that a drive thru wouldn't be the best news for most neighborhoods, but given there was an abandoned lot there before, I'll take it.
Abandoned? Surely you're being too harsh! What about the guys that sold Nike's and stuff there, and the street preacher dude? ;-) |
by ZestyJenny
on 3/18/2008 @ 4:53pm | Ah, the preacher dude, his sermons wafting through open summer windows... |
by jcbetty
on 3/18/2008 @ 6:34pm | SALVATION!!! (now salvation through drive-though java and mixed-use construction? Amen!) |
by Twisty
on 3/21/2008 @ 6:23pm | This post has me thinking, Erik...
Let's ban drive-throughs. Let's stop permitting new ones, and give businesses a reasonable time (say, five years) to get rid of the existing ones.
There are many good (and popular) reasons to do this. For example, drive throughs...
* are anti-pedestrian (as you aptly pointed out)
* waste fuel and cause air pollution (when engines idle for several minutes in cars that aren't moving)
* encourage us to be fat and lazy (and who among us wouldn't benefit from a little walking?)
* encourage littering
* waste space that could be used for larger seating areas or more parking
And these are just the first few reasons that pop into my head; I'll bet that you and I could think of many more reasons to ban d-t's, as well as more benefits to a drive through-free city, if we put our minds to it.
And let's face it -- even a sparkling-new franchise restaurant is a form of urban blight, if for no other reason than that the corporations put up the same darned cookie-cutter building in every city where they do business.
Many other cities have sign codes and building codes that force these kinds of businesses to conform to aesthetic standards. We have no such codes in Tacoma, and we clearly need them. I think getting rid of the idling queues of cars would be a great start.
What say you? |
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