Tacoma Urbanisti.FeedTacoma.com

Seattle Celebrates Expansion of Streetcars While Tacoma Considers Launching A Lawsuit Against Local Streetcar Initiative

Erik — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:01:00 -0800

In Seattle: 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: From the Tacoma Weekly: 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. More »

Tacoma's Mayor Strickland More Green than Seattle Mayor McGinn

Erik — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:09:00 -0800

Seattle Mayor Bikes! As documented by Streetfilms with great fanfare, Seattle Mayor McGinn bikes 6 miles to work. More »

Streetcar Initiative Filed in Tacoma

Erik — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:39:00 -0800

From the streetcar website: 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. More »

Despite Opposition, NYC Mayor Bloomberg Keeps Times Square Pedestrian Friendly

Erik — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:13:00 -0800

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. More »

Improve your Life, Save Your Health and Join The Tacoma Food Co-Op Today

Erik — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:47:00 -0800

The Problem: Tacomans needs to eat better. They really do. Join the Tacoma Food Co-op today and support Tacomans getting healthy. Watch this informative video from the smart people at TED, get inspired and then join the co-op. More »

Show You Give a #&%! about Tacoma and Vote Yes for Public Schools REPLACEMENT Levy

Erik — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Support Tacoma! Support Tacoma's Schools! More »

Verizon Wireless Opens Branch in Tacoma's Burgeoning Blogosphere-Technology District

Erik — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:01:00 -0800

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. More »

Today at 5pm: Mayor Strickland To Cut Ribbon at Grand Opening Party for Satellite Cafe

Erik — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:01:00 -0800

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 cappuccino at Satellite CoffeeThe new businesses are located on the first floor of the Embellish Salon building on Market Street. More »

Troubling Tacoma News: WA State and Pierce County Attempt To Tax Tacomans For Mental Health Services

Erik — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Background of Issue: Washington State and Pierce County have long argued as to which entity should be responsible for mental health funding in Pierce County. It appears that these governmental entities have now come to a dismaying agreement: to shift the responsibility of caring for the mentally ill on cities and try to convince the City of Tacoma impose a tax on Tacoma residents of $4,000,000 a year (from the Tacoma Weekly): One state legislator has suggested the city of Tacoma consider a tax increase to fund mental health programs. More »

Tacoma Urbanist Appears in Streetfilm Clip With A.U.T.O. Lobbyist Veronica Moss

Erik — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Tacoma has had many of its urban improvement efforts opposed by A.U.T.O. Lobbyist Veroinca Moss such as the traffic calming measures on 21st Street. More »

Former Presidents Bush and Clinton Urge Tacomans to Help Haiti

Erik — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:40:00 -0800

Support the Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Haiti On January 12, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti just outside the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The devastation � in lives lost, property destroyed, and families displaced � is immense. More »

Tacoma City Council To Decide Fate of Waterfront Esplanade Tuesday

Erik — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:31:00 -0800

Introduction: Tacoma's Waterfront has been cleaned up and redeveloped in bursts and stops over the last 10 years. In some years, much progress is made while the waterfront has languished in other years. More »

Tacoma Could Learn a Lot About Constructing Bike Lanes From NYC

Erik — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

It is encouraging to see more and more bike lanes being installing in Tacoma. Bike lanes being installed on 21st Street. More »

A New Home For Tacoma's Hipsters? Satellite Coffee/"Smooth and Juicy" Opens Downtown

Erik — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Yesterday, I visited the the combined Satellite Coffee and Smooth and Juicy bar which has just opened. They are located in the same building as Embellish. More »

Blackwater Cafe Re-opens...Kind of

Erik — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:58:00 -0800

Vanilla Bean Coffee has now opened in the old Blackwater space. Check it out. More »

Go HyperLocal and Buy Your Tree at Tollefson Plaza!

Erik — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:06:00 -0800

It's True. Justin Mayfield, of downtown Farmers Market is selling Christmas Trees in Tollefson Plaza: Buy your Christmas Tree Today! Read more in the Volcano or on their website Two Five Trees. More »

Peter Callaghan: Neither Election Losers Nor Encumbants Should Be Appointed to Tacoma City Council

Erik — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:43:00 -0800

Is the Tribune's Peter Callaghan Right Regarding the Appointment Process? Peter Callaghan weighs in heavily today on the upcoming appointment process to the Tacoma City Council and argues against two groups being appointed. More »

Support David Boe for Appointment to Tacoma City Council today!

Erik — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:03:00 -0800

Introduction: The time is approaching when the Tacoma City Council will make two appointments to the Tacoma City Council. They have the choice of either appointing someone who has the most merit (education, experience, and training to rebuild the city) or someone that is politically connected (though there are no doubt a few people who are politically connected with merit.) David Boe's Qualifications Tacoma's biggest challenge right now is to economically develop, create jobs, and to physically rebuild and renovate. More »

Tacoma's "Complete Streets" Program In Peril. Opposed By National Automobile Lobbyists

Erik — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:32:00 -0800

The Problem It doesn't take much effort to kill off development projects in Tacoma. In fact, there is a single crane in all of downtown building anything. As Tacomans know, outside groups recently managed to pressure the city council to thwart the hotel development on the Foss Waterway due to perceived competition to the Murano Hotel and "labor issues." The building site sits vacant and blighted and the waterfront has been left virtually lifeless. More »

Mayor Elect Strickland's First Goal A Good One: Reduce the Business Killing B&O Tax

Erik — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:53:00 -0800

Nice to see that our soon to be Mayor Marilyn Strickland understands the necessity of the City of Tacoma to start making the city more competitive by reducing the city B&O Tax to allow more life to come into the city (from the Examiner): Among other things, Strickland said she'll seek to reduce Tacoma's B&O taxes; look to grow the city as a science-technology hub; enhance marketing of the city as an urban college town; and appoint a mayoral task force on education to seek ways to garner more public education dollars and improve student achievement in the classroom." Swaths of Tacoma have been eviscerated as business have moved from the city to the county or to Fife, which has no city B&O tax, or simply never chosen to locate in the city. There are a slew of other areas where Tacoma needs to reduce the regulations to allow businesses to thrive as they do in other cities. More »