I want a Korean BBQ place like one I recently experienced in San Francisco.

I hope for every school to have a flashing school zone sign and a well marked cross walk.

Seeing kids leaving Jason Lee, crossing 6th/Division/Sprague makes me cringe. Getting to Briant crossing 11th and 9th across hilltop is tough too.

I envision every school looking like Washington Hoyte or Jefferson when driving by

i’d like to add about 30 or 40 thousand civically engaged and educated new residents from all over the world.

Widespread, homegrown Tacoma pride. It might just be an ideal, but the results would be quite tangible. And I think it’s very attainable.

I would wish for another corporate headquarters to move downtown. It was painful to watch weyerhaeuser leave and take that activity and revenue out of town. It would affect me personally because I market the condos in the downtown area.

My wish for Tacoma: to once and for all get over the whole “ugly step sister” image thing.

More families visiting ALL the parks and playgrounds.

Can’t help but to include a request for a half dozen urban mountain biking trails also.

A Korean BBQ restaurant on MLK Way which would be a nice addition to what’s becoming an ethnic dining corridor.
(Project EDEN in the house – holla!)

I hope to use my new found editorial cartoon voice to champion the oppressed.

Also I hope you dear reader, consider the following quote by my personal hero Ben Franklin: “He who lives upon hope, dies farting.”

jobs. you know, like, the in-the-city kind.

A 40+ story highrise in downtown with underground parking, 4-5 floors of retail, then 40 floors of commercial class A followed by high-end condos on the top…....now that would bring around DT!!!!!! Tacoma really needs to think outside of the box….and take action….

Pottery Barn.

Elks Lodge Restoration. It has been vacant and decaying since I was a small child, and I am almost 40 now.

(1) More spaces like the Blackwater Cafe: coffee shops which, through design elements like the long bench which provides seating for most of the tables helps maintain a sense of community and encourages people to converse with other visitors.

(2) Also some sort of Improv comedy theatre, not unlike the UCB Theatre in New York City: small venues where performers can hone their craft and audience members can be entertained for a mere $5. Perhaps, in some ways, the Horatio might help fill this void.

(3) A Middle Eastern restaurant, not unlike Alladin’s Cafe in Portland. Imagine coming into a small place in the North End, on Hilltop, where ever, and be served a plate of fresh baked pita bread. Mmm.

I hope we dont have to worry about our dirt in the community gardens:

I would like to see more random acts of art and gardening.

A music scene, a music scene, a music scene! Does that still count as one even though I said it three times? I’d be flexible about the definition of “scene” (I actually don’t like scenes, just shows) and would be happy to accept a single non-metal, non-blues/jazz venue for live 21+ shows, provided that live acts would actually come to town. The Thermals, Peter Parker, the Fall-Outs, Asobi Seksu, etc. Please.

Failing that, the corporate headquarters downtown that CJTrandum mentioned would be pretty good, too, and probably more important to the city.

My third choice would be for the George and Dragon to relocate to Tacoma.

A parade with the refreshingly irreverence that accompanies the one in Freemont where folks of all types get to play together, celebrate life, draw on the street with free chalk.

That, and a little more sunshine.

I’d like for all of us not to lose sight of Tacoma’s roots, or lose appreciation for the independent spirit, the likes of which has anchored Pacific and Sixth Avenues.
I’m intrigued by the thought of comercial big guys coming in to town, but I’d like for people to learn and use existing indie resources before sending money out to the mega companies.

The wisdom, vision, and self-confidence to say “no” —to excessive condo conversion, to cookie-cutter condo developments, to bad urban design, to greedy developers with no regard for Tacoma’s existing charm, to the current craze for tearing down homes and building monstrosities that don’t fit the neighborhoods, to the obsession with trendy new “mixed-use” development at the expense of restoring beautiful old buildings, to massive gentrification of its neighborhoods, to car-centered planning, and to cheap ‘quick fix’ promises instead of long-term development that benefits all levels of the city and all of its residents.

Notice that I am not against all of these things—some of which are valuable and necessary for Tacoma’s renaissance to continue. I just don’t want to lose the beauty, charm, and character of Tacoma in the rush to become just like every other desperate urban center out there. Benefits to me? The continued chance to be charmed and excited by living in Tacoma.

More mundane wishes:
1. A breakfast place on 6th Ave. that serves killer huevos rancheros and has black beans and cilantro on its menu (not necessarily together!). Not a copycat Seattle place, but somewhere that Tacoma’s great rainbow families can dine regularly.

2.Sur La Table downtown.

3.Streetcars!

A food coop near downtown, a streetcar or Link up Division and 6th, more downtown businesses open on Sundays, a good indie music venue (see Erik S, #34 above), an 8:00 a.m. Sounder train to Seattle (and a 7:00 p.m. train back), and Sounder buses that can get you back to the T-Dome from Seattle after 11:00 p.m. on weekends.

3.Streetcars!

Yes!!!

The last several streetcar meetings have not been well attended. Where are the voices?!

The next meeting is March 26th 4-7pm, Muni North building (north extension of City Hall).

There are only a couple more meetings left before the results are turned over to the city council. The results will reflect the lack of citizen participation. Even if you can’t make the whole meeting – be there!

And 4: For my neighbors to stop parking on their lawns. What is UP with that? – Alison

Now we are talking Pet Peeve #1. Can we get decent curbing and sidewalks in this town? I don’t get why people turn their green lawns into seas of mud. And what’s with all the gravel around here? Is it that difficult to pave alleys and streets?

Thanks for tolerating the rant….feel much better now.

the isolationism that Tacoma has disappears and finally welcomes in outsiders (like chain stores) to supply the much needed interest in downtown…........once again…...the conservative unwilling to take a chance Tacoma ideas will disappear…..when oh when will people wake up!!!!!!

We shouldn’t outlaw chain stores, but I think it’s fair (and not conservative) to hope that this town develops and prospers in a way that retains/builds on its character, much of which is due to the fact that we’re not overrun with the monotony and soullessness that accompanies a place with a high concentration of chain stores. One of things downtown/central Tacoma has going for it is that it’s not like everywhere else, and neighborhoods that develop in ways that build on their distinctiveness do a lot better and are more interesting than ones that recruit Wal-Mart or Burger King or Borders. Examples of neighborhoods that have recently changed for the better in ways that retain a lot of their original character are Ballard and Columbia City in Seattle. Those neighborhoods are succeeding largely because they’re not depending on a boatload of chain stores — they’re more creative than that, and Tacoma can be too.

We have,within 10 miles of our downtown vicinity, a Target, a TJ Maxx, a Fred Meyer (a couple, really)A Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, A Major Mall, a Ross, Marlene’s, Metropolitan Market, Blockbuster, Hollywood, Little Caesars, Dominoes, and any number of mainstream commodities to patronize.

Oh.

And we have at our fingertips, the WWW.

I just don’t see why we need to add more BIG commercial stuff on top of all we have.

My hope, again: that we learn about the resources we have, and use them. Earth resources, local shop resources, restaurants, and beyond: we have alot to offer. Before we spend so much time whinging about expanding and growing outside our box, I’d like us all to be aware of the box we’re in.

OK — so while responding to a forum topic, I did come up with one actual THING that I’d like to see … the return of more substantial, interactive semi-permanent public art structures on the Museum of Glass’s esplande. Like the onetime pitchers, water forest, the house of art and poetry, the glass apples with the accompanying red house where if you stood inside it the apples looked silver. Things that are actually interactive. They brought me back nearly every week or every other week when the art on display was interactive. I was proud to take people downtown and on the link … but while I know there are reasons for the downsizing, that is my wish. Right now things seem to static, just to stare at … and it’s quite bland on the now longer walk between displays. It used to be an adventure … perhaps now is the right time to make another go of it? It’s my hope, at least the one that I can define as more than a philosophical concept …

Everyone is so scared of bringing in some big box retail downtown, your hurting yourself…....this is the problem….don’t be scared, it really does drive traffic to get more revenue DT…....DT Seattle is full of big box retail, but you know, there are also alot of single type stores making a great living…....don’t be scared of growth…...that’s been Tacomas problem DT…..everyone is so scared of big box retail…it’s a joke…..and pretty cocky of them to think that their little unique store is all and mighty to bring people DT to just shop at their place…..

Claudia said: “I don’t see how bringing in a Macy’s or a Wall Mart is thinking outside the box. Revenues tend to flow to Dallas or Atlanta or who knows.”

BINGO!

Tacoma needs more companies dedicated to making it a great place to live AND work.

A HUGE aspect of having (and keeping!) small local companies is that they sometimes grow up to be large corporations that contribute greatly to grants, foundations, and sponsorship of local events. This is something Tacoma needs more of in a big way – witness the fall of First Night a couple years ago.

Also, once a company becomes successful (think Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks) it tends to attract other businesses that act as a support support network AND it also increases the spinning off of new companies. There’s a whole book about companies that have been spawned off by former Microsofties.

We have the Russell Investment Group, Brown & Haley, Weyerhaeuser isn’t too far away, and we have a gigantic military base… what else do we have that we can build on?

Robot parking garages.

Whoa, whoa, whoaaa! Michael G., I agree with you on a lot of things, but I have to disagree with you re: Ballard.

It has some real strengths as a neighhborhood, to be sure, but it most definitely has NOT retained a lot of its “original character” unless “original” is defined as “status as of 2001”. Tons of new condo buildings, fancy delis and wine shops, a bloody CHAI HOUSE. The old buildings are still standing on Ballard Ave (mostly) but the feel is completely different.

Again, not meant as a slam on New Ballard, but it ain’t your father’s Oldsmobile.

My hope would be for UWT to work with the VC/angel community to fund student’s ideas. Maybe there’s a biz plan competition and the winner gets seed funding, maybe it’s even more than that where a few get funded. This little tidbit was in an (older) article I was reading earlier:

“A San Jose State survey found that across the nation, 4 of 5 new businesses fail. But, when backed by professional venture capital within 20 miles of this office, 4 of 5 new ventures succeed. Think of Silicon Valley as an incredibly effective system for getting people, projects and capital together. You can change your job without changing where you park your car.”

Imagine if Tacoma could start attracting these small startups, these young people with disposable incomes…

Personally, I would love to see more sincere community outreach by public and non-profit entities with the goal to put more into design considerations for building more functional neighborhoods.

For example: – City of Tacoma/Sound Transit: Pacific Plaza (uninviting, concrete, no programing)- This would have been a far more effective park if simply left as a grassy knoll.

- Metro Parks (replacement of historic Wright Park wading pool with trendy spray ground)- Aside from the maintenance issues of underground plumbing, why are unprotected outdoor playgrounds still built? This is not California! Metro is not the only one guilty of this, nearly all Northwest park and school districts also install new playgrounds without overhead shelters that are not usable for 9 out of 12 months of the year.

- Washington State Museum of History (wall of shame)

- Multicare (three 90 foot smoke stacks across the street from Wright Park?!) – The least they could have done was have a call for entries from artists to make the stacks and building a little more interesting!

There are some wonderful community meeting facilitators around to help these entities out if necessary. Let’s use them!

is there any one person in the city level gov’t in Tacoma that people feel is most holding back the city from moving forward?

maybe this is cop out, but i think it is the system, not any one person.

there are a lot of talented people, trained well to do what they do, and there you go.

is it a leadership issue? you bet it is. tacoma does benefit from easy access to our city officials, so watch the city council and planning commission, etc. and make yourself heard.

who is against us v. with us

“Us” is a pretty broad demographic in the big Exit133 world.

1. More businesses starting up either in the area and building their empires, or ones relocating here. Would like Tacoma to be known for certain industry clusters.
2. More vibrant downtown in terms of living and commerce. Would love more centralized retail spots.
3. Big Events. How about auto racing through Tacoma Streets, or having the Red Bull air races or Commencement Bay. Or better yet, invite the world here for a World’s Fair.
4. Tacoma could definitely use a science center to promote education to children in math/physics/space/etc…
I’d also love to see the Slater Museum move off the campus of UPS, and into it’s own digs in downtown Tacoma. Also would be nice for the Pioneer Motorcycle Museum to be built.
5. More skyscrapers and structures built in the area to inspire us. The new cranes and Narrows Bridge are the largest things that have been built in the Tacoma Area. I’d love some unique structure to be built in Tacoma, like the St. Louis Arch in Missouri. Would also be nice to have a single location/building for the Tacoma Farmers Market like Grandville Island in Vancouver.
6. I’d love Tacoma to get into professional sports by landing a Major League Soccer Team. Perhaps build the new stadium for it either downtown or in Fife.

I’m sure there’s more I’m missing.