Update on Prium's Low Income Plans (25. September 2007, 18:31 by Erik) ~ Prium still working on Winthrop
Kevin has an update from the City’s Economic Development Committee this afternoon about potential options for relocating residents of the Winthrop.
Both locations are in South Tacoma. One would have room for approximately 50 units; the other 80. A location at the old Brown’s Grill location was considered but dropped after neighborhood opposition.
David Seago on the Tribune’s editorial blog is following up with Prium CEO Peter Ansara.
Link to KevinFreitas.net
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I think Prium’s announcement exceeded expections.
It appears Prium has be reducing its other commitments in order to be able to restore the Winthrop Hotel.
Here’s where it sits now:
The Withrop Hotel was purchased by Prium on January 31, 2007 for $6,100,000.
The Winthrop is currently being held in a company entitled Winthrop Hotel LLC.
The positive developments at the LeMay Museum which is set to break ground at the end of the year, are certainly helping the Winthrop’s prospects.
This is once again a downtown problem being forced on the South End. I feel sometimes like downtown should become it’s own city.
While I am sure the new Winthrop will be very nice for the folks that can afford it, we will end up with a low income project in an area with an already high crime rate. There is a de-tox facility, methadone clinic and a halfway house within a few blocks of the site on South 34th and Pacific.I hope Prium lives up to their committment to working with the groups in this area. I know we need affordable housing in Tacoma, but it needs to be done wisely…
Pat
3 | Posted by Pat | Sep 25, 10:13 PM
Low income into a neighborhood is not a bad thing. It’s concentrated low-income that can be hard. I would really like to see Prium looking at 4 sites instead of 2. I know it’s not as cost efficient to have a lot of different sites, but it would be much better for Tacoma.
4 | Posted by Erik Hanberg | Sep 25, 10:21 PM
Why not relocate them to the North End? They could easily be moved around on a streetcar.
5 | Posted by sparkrobot | Sep 26, 10:21 AM
Very up lifting commentary today about Winthrop future; So looking forward to the Prium website with an official Withrop icon to follow the plans. Who know’s, maybe the Sabre Room with live entertainment is on the re-bound ? Those we’re the days (and nites !!)Point Ruston, parking garage “make-over at #13th & Pacific, Hotel Murano, LeMay ,Tall Ships, wow- we are “on a roll” Mayor B. !!
6 | Posted by Bell Capt: | Sep 26, 10:54 AM
I think they should seriously look at a North End location just so we can watch the firestorm that would result…sounds fun.
7 | Posted by jamie from thriceallamerican | Sep 26, 10:56 AM
I would really like to see Prium looking at 4 sites instead of 2
Me too. The problem is that there are some obscure HUD voucher requirements that make this difficult.
One benefit will be is that much of the problems with the Winthrop have been with the design of the building as all of the residents sharing internal common areas which leads to high crime rate. The Winthrop is a labrynth of stairwells, hallways and elevators all obscured from public view. Once someone is able to enter the building, they can do anything they want.
Presumably, the new units would be built better with external entrances as many of the housing devepments are today.
As for the residents, they will certainly get better units than what they have now.
I would like to see a more comprehensive approach to locating these types of projects. I have not heard of one proposed in the heart of the North End and they seem to be pushing them out of downtown. The eastside and South End cannot be a dumping ground for this type of devlopment. Perhaps some “fair share” legislation should be passed, so we do not oversaturate one area with social services, low income housing etc…
The area proposed already has a large concentration of social services.
That being said, I look forward to chatting with Prium about their plans. They seem sincere when they say they want to work with the community. We do need affordable housing in Tacoma – I would welcome it if it were done properly.
Pat
9 | Posted by Pat | Sep 26, 12:24 PM
“I would like to see a more comprehensive approach to locating these types of projects. …… and they seem to be pushing them out of downtown.”
In the two block area that I live in downtown we would like to also stop being a “dumping ground.”
There are more than two hundred untis of low income housing in a three block radius.
10 | Posted by Laura Hanan | Sep 26, 12:50 PM
According to the City of Tacoma group home map downtown and Hilltop by far have the highest density of group homes. They don’t show the number of subsidized housing units. However, I supsect that it would be similar as the Theater District has 94 percent subsidized housing rate.
As far as 34th and Pacific, the map indicates there is not much out there in terms of group homes.
We have a large number of services in the area where folks are coming into the area.
I can sympathize with those areas. There are areas of Tacoma where that number is very low. I don’t want ot see certain areas of Tacoma targeted for these, as was the hilltop area. I used to live on St. Helens and know about that building (I think it is 402).
I hope there is a plan so that what happenedin those ares does not happen in others. I am not saying that they do not have these types of buildings – I know they do – I do wonder what the north end of Tacoma’s numbers are…
Know that I am complete agreement that do not need to be in one place, but let’s not create another concentrated place, as we are moving it around..
Pat
12 | Posted by Pat | Sep 26, 03:23 PM
I imagine land costs are playing a role in Prium’s lean toward South Tacoma. Property is simply worth too much in Tacoma for Prium to afford building this kind of housing. Is that fair to South Tacomans? I’m no judge of fairness, but it seems to me that having to accept developments like this may be the negative trade-off to the positive of getting more house (or apartment) for the money. At least it will be new, quality construction in an area that could use it.
Good news:
Prium chief operating officer Peter Ansara told committee members that the company would like any new development to be a blend of mixed-use and mixed-income housing. “Our edict is to do it as smoothly as we can by taking advantage of a model of mixed-use and mixed-income [housing],” said Ansara. “We won’t be building a concentration of low-income housing.”
As far as 34th and Pacific, the map indicates there is not much out there in terms of group homes.
“out there”? We’re talking just up the hill from downtown by Stanley’s. When I read South-side, I actually thought south, maybe by a transit center or the mall or some other area with established retail, services – silly me. This neighborhood may not have many group homes, but it has plenty of low income living as in rundown apartments, homeless people living on the hillside, shootings, drugs, etc. I’m usually not one to play the NIMBY card, but come on. Why not move this development further south (or north)? Will the new residents enjoy walking up/down the hill to catch a bus since only the 1 & 53 go by this interscetion. This neighborhood is trying to make a turnaround, I don’t think this will assist in the process.
15 | Posted by MG | Sep 27, 09:50 AM
MG said “Will the new residents enjoy walking up/down the hill to catch a bus since only the 1 & 53 go by this interscetion.”
I’m not certain if you are much of a bus rider but the #1 bus runs every fifteen minutes most of the time, every half hour the rest of the time and runs from Spanaway to TCC, quite a route. I think if you can get to the #1 bus you can pretty much get anywhere. Sure beats the heck out of some of those fancy neighborhoods in the north end were they are lucky to see a bus once an hour.
16 | Posted by Crenshaw Sepulveda | Oct 2, 10:15 PM
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