The Biz Buzz » Downtown Tacoma

Major office deal announced for State Farm in Arizona

Kathleen Cooper — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:29:42 +0000

Today in Tempe, Ariz., city officials announced that two private developers will build a $600 million mixed-use complex that will be anchored by State Farm.

According to a report in the East Valley Tribune’s online edition, Ryan Companies US, Inc. and Sunbelt Holdings will develop a site owned by Arizone State University near Tempe Town Lake. The deal is subject to City Council approval of development agreement details in the coming month. (I wonder what the chances are of that agreement not getting approved.)

More details from the Tribune:

The Marina Heights project in Tempe will be the largest office

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Downtown Tacoma nightspot closing June 2

John Gillie — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:49:42 +0000

A breakup of the partnership that operated two Big Whisky Saloons will force closure of the country and rock bar’s Tacoma branch three years after it opened.

The bar at 100 S. Ninth St. will hold a weekend-long farewell event May 30 through June 1. Big Whisky Saloon’s Olympia location will remain open. That location opened in 2011.

“Unfortunately, our partnership was unable to come to terms on continuing the Big Whisky brand in our Tacoma location,” said Paul Muller, one of the bar’s co-owners. Muller said the partnership split is “mutual and amicable.”

Roger Rahil, co-owner of both Big Whisky Saloon …

Tacoma Web design and application development firm named to Inner City 100

John Gillie — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:07:31 +0000

SiteCrafting, a 15-year-old Tacoma-based Web design and application development company, has been honored as one of America’s top inner-city firms by The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Fortune magazine.

This year is the third year Sitecrafting was named to the select list of fast-growing urban companies.

The Inner City 100 program recognizes successful inner city companies and their chief executives as role models for entrepreneurship, innovative business practices and job creation in America’s urban communities, the initiative said.

SiteCrafting reported 2011 revenues of $2.1 million and an annual growth rate of 20 percent. It was ranked 66th on …

Third Thursday (that’s May 16) brings art and inspiration to downtown Tacoma

C.R. Roberts — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:23:47 +0000

The third Thursday of the month hits on May 16, and that means art.

Spaceworks Tacoma, the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber will preview latest Spaceworks Projects at the regular monthly Artwalk/Mingle.

The public is invited to visit current and alumni Spaceworks projects from 5 to 8 p.m. Walking maps will be available that day at the Farmer’s Market and the Woolworth Windows, as well as online at SpaceworksTacoma.com.

New Artscapes installations in the Woolworth Windows at 11th and Broadway include: “Bed Dress” by Seattle artist Jennifer Zwick, “Untitled” by Tacoma artist Rachael Dotson, “Tacoma Wayzgoose …

New card deck will count 54 more ways that Tacoma is beautiful

Kathleen Cooper — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:51:40 +0000

This just in from two of Tacoma’s creative advocates: Tacoma Makes plans a second deck of Tacoma playing cards, to be released this fall.

The first deck, which we’ll now call the blue deck, was produced last year with the help of a Kickstarter and did so well the Tacoma Makes organizers are ordering a second printing.

Maija McKnight, who founded Tacoma Makes with Amy McBride, told me in an email today that they have distributed more than 5,000 decks of the blue cards, which retail for $20 a pack. They have 400 left in inventory, she said,

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Foss Hotel could break ground within a month

John Gillie — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:57:26 +0000

We’ve sounded the drum roll before for this event only to have opponents’ court action force cancellation of the ceremony.

But here goes nonetheless:

Groundbreaking for the long-awaited hotel on downtown Tacoma’s Foss Waterway could happen within the next month, according to the hotel’s architect.

Dave Murphy, the Seattle architect who designed the 104-room Marriott Residence Inn for Bellingham’s Hollander Investments, said he expects the City of Tacoma will issue grading and excavation permits this month for the structure.

Work on the site between the Esplanade Condominiums and Thea’s Landing Apartments on Dock Street could begin shortly thereafter.

Construction could …

Long-sought seaplane float coming to Tacoma in June

John Gillie — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:19:05 +0000

Tacoma has plenty of open water where seaplanes can land, but it has long lacked a suitable place where those planes can tie up and receive and discharge passengers.

That deficiency is due for a remedy next month when a long-sought seaplane float arrives at the mouth of the Thea Foss Waterway.

The float, a project of the Tacoma Waterfront Association and the Foss Waterway Development Authority, will be attached to an existing dock at the north end of the waterway near Thea’s Park.

Su Dowie, acting development authority director, said the float is being modified now by Tacoma dock …

Tacoma McMenamins is the topic of lunch panel in two weeks

Kathleen Cooper — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:00:44 +0000

Perhaps, dear readers, we might learn a few more details about the McMenamins’ plans for the Tacoma Elks Temple after a luncheon in two weeks.

Commercial Real Estate Women Seattle & Sound are hosting a lunch panel May 14 at the Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway, that promises “more exciting details” about the construction.

The group’s news release says construction is scheduled to begin later this year, though a time frame for that has been squishy for awhile. Representatives of the Portland-based brewpub picked up construction permits from the City of Tacoma in February, but work hasn’t begun yet. The …

No smoking: Marijuana convention, and 7,000 guests, won’t be coming to Tacoma

C.R. Roberts — Thu, 02 May 2013 22:50:36 +0000

You can bring your cannabis convention to Tacoma, but don’t go trying to smoke anything.

The national magazine High Times, known for its promotion of cannabis, recently applied to sponsor a gathering at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, which is located in Tacoma, where smoking is not allowed in public places, so, well, sorry.

We like that you’re knocking, but you can’t come in.

The convention would have welcomed some 7,000 people, some of whom would have stayed in hotels and many of whom would have bought food, for instance, thereby helping to nourish the convention’s center’s mission …

Tacoma Art Museum plans 10th birthday party on Saturday

Kathleen Cooper — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:34:32 +0000

Head downtown Saturday to help celebrate the Tacoma Art Museum’s 10th birthday with free admission to the museum and its spring festival.

Tacoma Art Museum moved to 1701 Pacific Ave. in 2003, and the museum plans a day of family friendly activities to celebrate, including a magician and live music.

The schedule of events, according to a news release:

11 am: Magic performance by Jeff Evans
Noon: Performance by Grant Elementary students
12:30 pm: Live jazz performance by Jazz Misfits
Ongoing: Design a pop-up flower garden card; decorate a Flat Leroy; join the community collage