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City boosts funding for Pacific Plaza

By John Larson

Tacoma Weekly
jlarson@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: August 28, 2008

The city of Tacoma is putting more green into its pursuit of green buildings.

On Aug. 19 Tacoma City Council voted to provide an additional $1,847,000 to a partnership between the city and Pacific Plaza Development LLC, which is renovating the former South Park parking garage and ground-floor retail space along Pacific Avenue, as well as constructing 68,000 square feet of office space on top of the building.

About $800,000 will go toward rising construction costs due to delays. The remainder will be spent to turn a Turkish spa that was uncovered beneath the garage into a cistern for a rooftop garden, part of a plan to reduce stormwater runoff.

Councilmember Mike Lonergan introduced an amendment to the resolution that would have cut the amount provided by the city to $889,000. He expressed concern that people who park on the street would be impacted as they pay into the Parking Garage Capital Facilities Fund, a city fund being tapped for this. Lonergan’s amendment deleted references to the additional money being sought to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, a national system of rating construction projects considered friendly to the environment.

Councilmember Jake Fey said the project represents the kind of city Tacoma wants to become, one on the cutting edge of environmentally friendly design. It sends a message to residents. “It is a fundamental choice about where the future lies.”

Fey said he has seen similar projects in other cities. The extra money is justified because the city is taking a long-term approach to the structure.

Councilmember Rick Talbert said the benefit to the environment of keeping stormwater on site, rather than having it hit storm drains and end up in Puget Sound, makes the request for more money justified.

“I think this is the time for us to be looking in this direction,” he said.

Mayor Bill Baarsma said if the city had not acted now, by the time it pursued the environmental features the price would have rose too much.

Baarsma strongly supports the environmental benefits of this project. He urged his colleagues to vote in favor of the ordinance.

Tom Absher, a partner in Pacific Plaza Development, testified in favor of the extra funding prior to the vote. He said the environmental features planned for the structure are unique. “I think it will be something people can be proud of.”

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