The City will be bringing him in next month to come to a Study Session and meet with the Tollefson Plaza and Century Park Design Group. He’ll be looking to see how Tollefson Plaza could become a more inviting place.

Nice idea.

Too bad he was not hired before the plaza was designed.

Perhaps he will recommend removing the northern piece of the cement stairs so that the plaza can connect with the commercial space at the Marriot.

It’s too bad the LINK stops weren’t spaced out so that one would be adjacent to the plaza. Crowds attract crowds, and having people walking through it to use the LINK would help make it appear more inviting (instead of barren).

I’m sure with some proper adjustments, it can stand on its own merits though. We’ll have to see what happens…

I say bring bad the lord of commerce statue

I’m only charging a tiny donation fee of 9M

I am glad that Mr. Gemzoe is visiting, but honestly do we need to bring someone on a 10 hour airplane flight to enhance that space? It seems like the needs are more fundamental than that and could be addressed locally (ie – vegetation, something interesting to look at, a suitable place to enjoy a sandwich on your lunch break, a reason to visit, etc.) As stated above, the only reason to pass through the plaza is to go from the UWT area up to the Broadway/Pacific area. There is no compelling reason to go to the plaza on most days. Even Firemans Park is underutilized and that is about as scenic a spot as there is in town. But why would someone walk over there given that lack of “energy” in that area?

But why would someone walk over there given that lack of “energy” in that area?

I think this is a very interesting topic: does the “energy” of a place attract people, or do people give a place “energy”?

Seems like we’ve been through the visioning thing before with Tollefeson Plaza: here and in the forum.

Here’s an interesting tidbit from the library’s Pierce County Buildings Index website, from a 1918 newspaper article:

“…is on the site of an Indian lodge used in 1853 by men working for the DeLin mill, ‘probably the first building occupied by white men in Tacoma’ (proposal for monument)”

I’m curious to dig up the newspaper article so I can see what the proposed monument looked like.

Also on that block:

“…in the late 1950s a tavern, Fifteen-Eighteen Cabaret, owned by Robert Satiacum, where Black entertainers were first hired to work on lower Pacific Ave., breaking Tacoma’s entertainment color line”

And of course there was Bimbo’s restaurant.

A lot of history. Gone. Should it be forgotten or should we build on it?

I like David Boe’s idea. Home for the farmer’s market? It’s intersected by the light rail, removed from the museum by Pacific and thus rendered almost hopeless in its current design. At least with it being a home for a farmer’s market (can it be done on a daily basis?) visitors would see some life nearby. As it is, it’s not much.

As has been previously mentioned, that huge wall separating the plaza from retail in the Mariot is a huge impediment. I bet this is one of the reason why that spot is STILL vacant(yes I know the Naccaratos wanted to put in another restaurant there). However, this prime location should have been gobbled up long ago. There is nothing in the middle of the plaza, like a statue, to bring people in, and it’s effectively walled off from all the surrounding retail and buildings by that damn wall, the steps, the rail line, and Pacific Ave.

I’m not sure why we would want to kill off the Farmer’s Market by moving it to Tollefson Plaza. The Farmer’s market works right now because there are quite a few people in the vicinity of the market and there is a fighting chance of finding some parking on farmer’s market days. Not a great chance, but a chance. Toffefson Plaza would further separate the market from the customers and make it unlikely they’d find any parking if they are driving to the market. Aren’t there some Native American remains or something under Tollefson Plaza that actually keeps developers from building on the property?

What’s that saying? Professionals designed the Titanic, Amateurs designed the canoe?

How about we let the people of tacoma figure out what we need to do with the god damned Tollefson Plaza. Denmark? WTF!??

Will this Danish architect be speaking publicaly? It would be great to hear what he has to say – Tollefson Plaza or otherwise. Please post if he does. Thanks!

Perhaps we need a panel discussion.

I think the fact that they are trying to bring someone it. At least more people are realizing that Tollefson Plaza has been a failure to date and are trying to look at something to fix it.