23 Union Square? ( 7. March 2008, 15:10 by Derek Young) ~ Just More Retail Therapy
Here’s an interesting little project that came across our desk today. You know the parking lot across from the Target on Union Street. The large one for the Elks that’s often empty/half-empty, filled with visiting RVs, or both. Well, it would seem we have a new retail project coming soon.
Is it big? Not really… 42,000 square feet of single story retail. 236 parking stalls. A busy street close to the freeway. What would you put here? Super Supplements? Tight Cuts? Carl’s Jr?
Here’s The Flyer (pdf)
Listed with First Western Properties
Thank you, Jake
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23 Union Square? For a second there I thought you were talking about New York’s Union Square, one of most sought after neighborhoods in the city. 23 Union Square in Tacoma looks to be a car-centric suburban-style strip mall—much like everything else in that part of town. Yes, Tacoma could do better. However, a developer proposed a mixed use building at 19th and Union that was all but shot down by the NIMBY neighbors. Perhaps Tacomans don’t want to live in a great city…maybe resembling South Hill is good enough.
While I’m no huge fan of retail, I think the space needs something more than just single-story. I think some 3 or 4 story retail there in an open-mall fashion (think University Village) would be better there. Something that is visibly different from all the other retail in the area.
I’d put in middle-range retail, to offer variety as opposed to Target, but avoid trendy stuff. Save those for areas like St Helens and the Stadium district.
2 | Posted by Tacoma Boy | Mar 7, 03:42 PM
Is this in the Target Mixed-use District? Hmmm… for my money, I would put a Whole Foods in there.
3 | Posted by morgan | Mar 7, 04:28 PM
The Elks have been selling off land gradually for many years. The Elks owned that land that the Target strip center is on, once upon a time.
I wonder if the Elks will use the money for a big makeover to try to attract younger members. Right now, their average member is quite old – they’ve had trouble attracting new people for some time.
Perhaps a group of younger potential Elks should join and make it cool again. They have a nice gym as it is, and with the new money from this project…??
Any takers? It would be a fun project.
4 | Posted by Roland Crane | Mar 7, 04:42 PM
The plan is pretty low brow. Putting some single story buildings in a huge parking lot. Here’s a chance to place some mixed use building with housing above retail and make a walkable sort of urban village with some character.
Yet, better than it was before. Instead of a complete dead zone, now there will be strip malls. Sign…At least there is some additional buildings.
The photographs of the areas are pretty interesting showing about 70 percent of the business district is a parking lot. Far to spread out to have it be accessible by anything but automobile.
So it’ll still mainly be a parking lot, just now with some haphazardly placed blocks dropped in around it.
I find it funny that they’re advertising one as the “anchor.” With the buildings mainly disconnected from each other, the only “anchor” thing about it is it’s the biggest of the ugly boxes.
And re: Carl’s Jr. If it’s as bad as the one out off Pearl, I will pass, thanks. What I COULD definitely go for, though, is a Burger King. Although with the disappointing quality of fast food places up here, that would probably be highly underwhelming as well. Seriously, what is up with the fast food places up here?
Allenmore complex can use some food places within walking distance. Can see Mt Rainier from there on a clear day. Maybe. LOL!
This is a location next to an existing Columbia Bank branch. It’s close to Bellarmine, too. Hmmm I will be brainstorming on this one. Maybe one of those cheesecake chains….
7 | Posted by kc | Mar 7, 05:50 PM
A hospital is alway good to have near by if you have a Carl’s Jr.
10 | Posted by Crenshaw Sepulveda | Mar 7, 07:37 PM
23 Union Square in Tacoma looks to be a car-centric suburban-style strip mall—much like everything else in that part of town
I agree.
Check out the map of the proposed develop. The SW corner building against the street would have a drive road around it making it impossible to walk to from the street.
Then there is a another drive through in middle of the south portion of the lot.
This is a place meant to drive in and to get out as soon as possible with a complete barrier to pedestrians and not significantly different than any strip mall in Federal Way. Then they try to duct tape have “landscaping” to try to make the are look better.
I can’t really blame the developers though or architect though. I suspect this development design is fully compliant with city law and does not need a variance.
This is likely a model City of Tacoma development: a nondescript strip mall.
A huge potential for housing here and none will be built. The city makes it almost impossible to add housing here without the expensive process of digging underground. Thus there is none even though it is adjacent to a ton of retail in the area.
A waste of land and height potential. Whatever “affordable housing” issues there are in Tacoma are largely self imposed by the city which makes building it almost impossible.
If the Elks, a fraternal organization, owns this land I would think the highest use of it would be to design and build some innovative and affordable housing on the site. What a terrific gift that would be for the community and it would still be profitable for the Elks. If the land has already been sold off I am very saddened. I am certain they would have made a better buck with the housing angle than with the sales of the land for retail.
The location is perfect for some younger working class people. Good access to public transit and existing retail. Plenty of close in recreational areas as well. Strip malls have already been done and are no benefit to the city outside the sales tax revenues. Innovative housing for modestly incomed people is a gift to the city. I guess an Elk doesn’t always know a buck when it sees one. I’m not sure which is worse for Tacoma, the Elks moving out of downtown or the Elks being party to this monstrosity.
12 | Posted by Crenshaw Sepulveda | Mar 7, 10:31 PM
Ah yes, Tacoma Central… our own little piece of Federal Way.
That part of Union Ave. has been impassable in the afternoons for 10 years or so, now I reckon that will spill over onto S. 19th and Oakes St. as well.
13 | Posted by Dave | Mar 8, 06:39 AM
It’s close enough to be my neighborhood too. The Elk’s have been trying to get someone interested in that land for at least 5 years now, if you weren’t paying attention. The one major catch/pitfall is that they don’t want to sell the land, I believe it is lease to build. Who wants to have a house on land they can’t buy? Who wants to build houses on land they can’t buy? Face it, that space was born to be retail.
15 | Posted by Christy | Mar 8, 04:49 PM
There are some great models of housing over retail in West Seattle and other places. That would have been fantastic to build up just a couple of stories to include apartments in this area. Of course the city council can’t seem to get off it’s ass and just change the zoning laws. Of course, I don’t exactly know how the city council works on these things.
To join the Elks you also have to be sponsored by 2 members and probably have to be a Republican too.
http://www.elks.org/about/membership.cfm?CFID=25056528&CFTOKEN=61418608
17 | Posted by Christy | Mar 8, 06:45 PM
LOL! The only Elk I know personally is Republican. supporting the theory. Hi Kris. We’re neighbors!
19 | Posted by kc | Mar 9, 11:31 PM
It’s interesting that this site is not directly capitalizing on the limited medical office facilities adjacent to Allenmore. The more recent medical office developments on the corner of S. 23rd & Cedar seem to be doing well. Unusual because of parking reasons, this could be an interesting site for a mix of mostly first floor retail with medical office above.
On a side note, I’m wondering what their plan is to handle all those displaced RVs and Christmas trees that I see in that lot.
20 | Posted by DavidS | Mar 10, 07:20 AM
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