UWT Growth - Where Does It Fit In? (19. December 2006, 21:18 by Derek Young) ~ Where's The Alignment
Voelpel’s column today contains information on a fairly wide variety of topics from the Elks Building to Bimbo’s marinara sauce. At the very bottom of the column is a section on the University of Washington – Tacoma.
In a year, expect a new master plan with new boundaries. And it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the plan includes the six vacant acres the city owns adjacent to the current campus.
A question that came to me via my inbox asks, “Should the City hand over more land to a group that won’t build for 20 years? A group that won’t allow any intermediate uses for fear of them becoming permanent?”
I can’t think of anybody that doesn’t love what UWT has done for downtown Tacoma. However, as we talk about a vision for our downtown, it would be interesting to see how the UWT footprint and growth plans reflects or contradicts that vision.
Link to The News Tribune
Commenting Is Closed
Comments are allowed for two weeks from the posted date. If you want to make a comment or reopen this discussion, please contact us with your request. Thank you for visiting.
I’m not sure how the Master Plan integrates with Tacoma’s vision, let alone the vision of many of the posters here. The Master Plan was completed in 2003, before they were a 4-yr school, so I expect they will update it before 2013. I’d recommend those interested in how that area looks in 10yrs take a look at the Master Plan (Warning 21MB)
Two notes that might be of interest to the regular commenters here:
1) Low- or mid-height buildings everywhere
2) The Swiss building will become the center of campus across from the campus green
1 | Posted by DavidS | Dec 20, 02:34 PM
The UWT future plans were discussed in detail during the last council study session yesterday. Here, they discuss the different proposed renovations, “footprint,” and buying buildings out of the normal foot print.
They also discuss the enrollment level over the next few years (they are going up).
Great link Erik. But I can’t get the video to run. Any suggestions?
3 | Posted by DavidS | Dec 20, 06:24 PM
What annoys me is again a lack of vision. Why can’t land – especially publicly owned land – be put to some sort of intermediate use? I’m not sure how safe the soil is, so maybe food production is out the window, so why not encourage students and residents to plant other things… like flowers!? Something… anything! Let’s put the land to use and not let it sit vacant!
4 | Posted by morgan | Dec 20, 09:56 PM
Why can’t land – especially publicly owned land – be put to some sort of intermediate use?
Actually, it would be great if the city could allow buildings to be developed in a way to have commerce in some of the builings on the first floor and lease the rest of the building to businesses until the UWT was ready to take it over. Tenants could then be removed as more space was needed by the university.
As many of you know, UWT is apparently buying the Carlton Building and will later modify their proposed footprint.
The UWT is doing so well in integrating the university with businesses on Pacific Ave. Hopefully, they will come around adopt this same outlook for Market Street . There are some great businesses in their footprint that could work well with the University.
Great link Erik. But I can’t get the video to run. Any suggestions?
It requires Real Player.
We hadn’t seen the type of development that UWT brought to South Pacific Ave for at least 20 years, to me that buys them 20 years. If, in 10-20 years we have a thriving campus of 10-15K students (or more)the Downtown’s revitalization will be a more permanent and self-sustaining thing. We still have plenty of other areas of Downtown to fill up!
6 | Posted by Dome Topper | Dec 20, 11:24 PM
does anyone that posts on this site go to UWT? former students?
7 | Posted by snoopy | Dec 20, 11:28 PM
does anyone that posts on this site go to UWT? former students?
I don’t know about the current posters, but there are several current UWT students among our Exit133 readership… and I started there this last fall.
Commenting is closed for this article.
