Shift is happening in 2012

Support Go Local – an independent business alliance dedicated to creating connections for businesses with other businesses, services, resources, new customers, non-profits, and local government – and attend Shift Happens 2012 on Jan. 30. Go Local Shift Happens 2012.

Connect at Camp6

A new website - Camp6 - is all about creating and building a sense of community. The site plans to promote the merchants, style, and culture that makes our community what it is. The founders hope to inspire growth and understanding within Tacoma. Check it out for yourself at www.camp6tacoma.com. If you are interested in being featured on Camp6 as a “Merchant” or want to showcase an event, contact: community@camp6tacoma.com.

Hot Dog! Tacoma has a new food cart

Downtown Tacoma's first and only hot dog cart is open for bizz! T-Town Dogs can be found at Tollefson Plaza across from the Museum on Pacific and 17th. Go get your dogs Tacomans. @TTownHotdogs

Community meeting to discuss future of MLK neighborhood

The City is developing Subarea Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Martin Luther King Jr. neighborhood (MLK). The MLK neighborhood on Tacoma’s Hilltop is well positioned for economic revitalization and densification and is one of the City’s 16 mixed-use centers that are identified in the City’s Code as Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) receiving areas.

On Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Evergreen State Community College, Tacoma Campus, Lyceum Room (1210 6th Ave.), the City will host a community meeting to discuss the Subarea Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

For more information about the project, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/mlkplan.

The Scoop!

Get the lowdown on what's happening in Tacoma...on The Scoop! (December 21-31, 2011)

UWT Hood Corridor Project Community Forum, Jan 30

Join the University of Washington Tacoma for a conversation about the Hood Corridor Project. Guided by student and community input, landscape architects Atelier Dreiseitl have developed a preliminary plan that transforms the 80ft wide rail corridor through campus into a vibrant new open space. The plan celebrates and leverages opportunities provided by community connections while honoring the industrial past of the surrounding area. The community forum for the UWT Hood Corridor Project starts at 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30 in William Philip Hall.

South Downtown Subarea Plan public meeting scheduled for Dec. 15

The City of Tacoma is preparing a South Downtown Subarea Plan to set a vision for growth and development in the south downtown area of Tacoma (south of South 15th Street). As part of the plan, the City, in partnership with the University of Washington-Tacoma (UWT), is preparing a non-project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate how implementation of the subarea plan might impact environmental and infrastructure resources in the area, as well as how those impacts might be mitigated.

One of the first steps in preparing an EIS is to conduct a scoping process to ask citizens and organizations for their concerns, comments and ideas. The City is hosting a public scoping period and a public scoping meeting on Dec. 15, 2011, to gather public comments on the issues and opportunities that should be the focus of the EIS. The public meeting is scheduled from 4 -7 p.m. at the Carwein Auditorium on the UWT campus located at 1900 Commerce St. in the Keystone Building, Room 102.

The public scoping comment period will last through Jan. 10, 2012. Comments are welcome at the public scoping meeting on Dec. 15, 2011, or anytime during the comment period through email at planning@cityoftacoma.org or by mail: Community and Economic Development Department, c/o Brian Boudet, 747 Market St., Room 1036, Tacoma, WA 98402.

For additional information visit the project website: www.cityoftacoma.org/planning.

Spaceworks Tacoma is looking for energetic projects for 2012

Spaceworks Tacoma is seeking artists, artist groups and creative entrepreneurs to energize empty spaces in downtown Tacoma. The goal is to transform empty storefronts with artistic enterprise in an effort to make Tacoma a stronger, more vibrant City. There are three opportunities currently available. For more information, visit www.SpaceWorksTacoma.com or email rsolverson@cityoftacoma.org

New indoor sports center coming soon

A new, 52,000-square-foot sports facility, big enough to house two indoor soccer fields, is now under construction in South Tacoma. The Pacific Sports Center plans to open its doors in February. The new facility will be located at South 80th and Pine streets.

Help plan for growth & development

The City of Tacoma will host a community meeting on Thursday, Dec. 1 beginning at 4 p.m. to gather ideas from the community about the future of south downtown Tacoma. The meeting will kick off the South Downtown Subarea Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, which covers an area including the Dome District, Brewery District, Thea Foss Waterway and University of Washington-Tacoma (UWT).

The City is looking to citizens and property owners to help develop an inclusive plan that complements the needs of current residents and property owners, while integrating these planning decisions to promote a healthy environment and a healthy economy in the decades to come. The community meeting is scheduled from 4 -7 p.m. at the Carwein Auditorium on the UWT campus located at 1900 Commerce St. in the Keystone Building, Room 102.

For more information, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/planning and click on “Dome/Brewery District Subarea Plan & EIS.”

What's all the STINK about Füdie?

Füdie, right next door to the über deli, STINK Cheese & Meat, is open for bizz. This gourmet kitchen and food store is the latest addition to the St. Helens neighborhood in downtown Tacoma. You will be impressed with Füdie's intriguing selection of gourmet food products, top-of-the-line kitchen tools, wine and hard to find beers. And, if you have yet to try STINK, there is no better time than now! While grabbing lunch or dinner, you can skip over to Füdie or vice versa —they blew a hole through the wall. Read more... Füdie, Sixth and Soot. Helens Ave., 253.426.1347

Tacoma has a gem of a jeweler

A pendant created by Tacoma’s LeRoy Jewelers has won a national recognition from the American Gem Trade Association. LeRoy’s pendant, created from tourmalinated quartz, rainbow moonstone and platinum, won the award in the Classic Platinum Design – Innovation category. Read more...

UW Tacoma continues to grow

Students turned out in record numbers again at the traditional start of the school year at UW Tacoma. This autumn, enrollment rose by almost 10 percent over 2010, with a new headcount of 3,662 students, compared to last year’s headcount of 3,331.The enrollment increase followed a 23 percent increase in freshman applications and a 16 percent increase in transfer applications.

Mortenson Construction receives national Design-Build Award for Cheney Stadium

Mortenson Construction has received a national design-build award from the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) for the renovation of Cheney Stadium. The National Design-Build Awards recognize outstanding projects that demonstrate successful application of design-build strategies resulting in a superior facility that exceeds the owner’s needs.

Cheney Stadium, home to the Tacoma Rainiers – the Triple-A Affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, was built in 1960 in approximately 100 days. This $30 million renovation, the first full renovation in 52 seasons, was also fast-tracked. It was completed in seven months – from the final home game on Sept. 2, 2010, to substantial completion on April 1, 2011, prior to the start of the new season. Visit http://www.mortenson.com/ to learn more.

Pacific Avenue streetscape wayfinding open house scheduled for Nov. 9

On Nov. 9, the City of Tacoma, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and Go Local will co-host a Pacific Avenue wayfinding update and idea gathering open house from 5 to 6 p.m. The open house will be held to present the wayfinding conceptual design and gather input on destination listings and information to be provided on kiosks.

What: Wayfinding open house
Where: Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, 950 Pacific Ave., 3rd Floor
When: Nov. 9, anytime between 5 and 6 p.m.
Why: To gather feedback on key visitor destinations/information for wayfinding signage and kiosks.

For more information about the Pacific Avenue streetscape project, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/pacave. If you would like more information about this meeting, contact Sue O’Neill at (253) 591-5789 or email her at soneill@cityoftacoma.org.

Tacoma celebrates 10 years of arts and culture this November

November 2011 marks the 10th anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month – a community celebration of the arts that includes more than 250 community-hosted arts and culture events, exhibits and workshops for all ages taking place every day throughout the month. Programming includes music, theater and dance performances; visual art exhibits; film screenings; literary readings; lectures; and workshops. All events are open to the public and many activities are free. Information about programming for the entire month is available at www.ArtAtWorkTacoma.com.

IID receives Online Trust award

Tacoma-based Internet Identity (IID) has received the Online Trust Alliance's online trust leadership award. IID was recognized in the "excellence in business solutions" category for its ActiveTrust Resolver product. IID has been providing technology and services that secure the Internet presence for an organization and its extended enterprise since the company was founded in 1996. www.internetidentity.com

Hotel Murano wins accolades from Conde Nast Magazine

Hotel Murano ranked 17th best hotel in the country, right between the Carlyle in New York and the Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Read more:
http://blog.thenewstribune.com/business/2011/10/12/once-again-downtown-tacoma-hotel-murano-wins-accolades-from-readers-of-conde-nast-magazine/

Three Tacoma employers win Governor’s Commute Smart Awards

Two decades of saving commuters money, curbing air pollution, conserving fuel and easing traffic congestion was celebrated yesterday at the 2011 Governor’s Commute Smart Awards. Among the recipients of this year’s awards were three Tacoma employers.

- Todd Badham and Nicole Mulhausen, employee transportation coordinators (ETC) at the University of Puget Sound, received the Commute Smart ETC Leadership Award.
- Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community was recognized with a Commute Smart Employer Champion Award.
- And Gordon Thomas Honeywell, an active participant in the Pierce Trips program for small employers since 2001, was presented with a Commute Smart Employer Champion Award for Voluntary Employers.

The Commute Smart Awards recognize innovation and dedication by communities, businesses, agencies and workplace transportation coordinators as they promote transit, biking, walking, ridesharing and other smart transportation options.

More details about the Governor’s Commute Smart Awards and the list of winners are posted online at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Transit/PT_Features.htm#CSA.
For more information about Commute Trip Reduction in Pierce County, visit www.piercetrips.com

Business Leaders Gather Locally to Talk Bizz

About 15 Northwest credit union leaders, some of them small business owners, will gather in Tacoma's Hotel Murano to talk about ways they can boost business lending, in hopes of adding more jobs to the region. Read more...