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IMAGE COURTESY OF PERKINS+WILL

WATERFRONT VIEW. This architectural rendering depicts the exterior of Urban Waters as seen from the southwest.

Council impressed with latest Urban Waters design

By John Larson

Urban Waters has been among the highest priorities for Tacoma City Council over the past few years. The structure, which will be built on the east side of Thea Foss Waterway, will house the city’s Environmental Services Department, researchers from the University of Washington-Tacoma and staff from Puget Sound Partnership, a new state agency charged with restoring the health of Puget Sound.

Urban Waters has also posed challenges, as city officials want it to be on the cutting edge of the “green” building trend while keeping its price tag from getting too large.

Last December the council approved a lease agreement for the project and a maximum budget of $40 million. By late March, the estimated cost had swelled to $50 million. City staff and their partners on the project went to work scaling back the design to get back toward $40 million through a process called value engineering.

More than 80 design features were considered for changes. On Aug. 5 the council heard an update during its Committee of the Whole meeting.

Jim Parvey, a city engineer, began the presentation. Some of the more expensive features have been scrapped, such as an atrium and skylight. A structural steel system was chosen in place of concrete, he added.

Lorig Associates, LLC is the developer on the project. Joe Borden and Tom Fitzsimmons from the firm discussed some of the challenges in making adjustments to the design while still maintaining the goal of city officials to have a building that serves its intended purposes and a desire to have it achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum rating, the highest possible achievement in environmentally-friendly design.

Borden said they are following the latest trends in needs for employees in both offices and science laboratories. He assured council members that none of their goals have been compromised. “It is a message to other builders in Tacoma.”

He did note there will not be much unused space. “There is not a lot of extra space in the building.”

Mayor Bill Baarsma mentioned the possibility that the federal Environmental Protection Agency may have an office in Urban Waters. Parvey told him there is room on the third floor that could be used by staff from that agency.

Dan Seng and Tony DeEulio, architects from the firm Perkins and Will, discussed design changes that have been made in the last few months. “This has been an evolution and a refinement,” Seng remarked.

Rain gardens and other features to collect rainwater are in place, he noted.

DeEulio said the revised design is streamlined and more efficient than the previous plan.

The side that will face west, toward downtown, will have a “crisp, clean” look that will be appealing to people viewing it from downtown, he told the council. “We are looking to add some punch and color on the west.”

The west side of Urban Waters will have a flat, aluminum exterior that will resemble steel, done in a dark brown color.

The main entrance will be on the side facing south. Fixed sunshades will be installed on the exterior.

Lease Crutcher was the contractor for the preliminary work. Parvey said staff is recommending going out to bid for contractors and subcontractors through an open, competitive process. Lease Crutcher would be eligible to bid on this next phase, he noted.

Final construction documents should be done in October, with the contractor selection process in November and December. Construction is expected to be completed sometime in 2010.

Councilmember Connie Ladenburg pointed out that Urban Waters is both a physical place, as well as programs taking place inside it.

“The program piece, I think, is what will put us on the map.”

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