Tacoma Daily Index, November 04, 2013

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402 Tacoma 1019 Pacific Avenue, Avenue S., Suite Suite 1216 200 PO Box 1303, TACOMA, WA TACOMA, 98402 WA 98401 PHONE (253) 627-4853 FAX (253) 627-2253

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2013

Vol. CXXIV, No. 214

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices

Published Published Since Since 1890 1890

Port OKs additional funds for former Brown & Haley headquarters demolition Posted online Fri., Nov. 1 By Todd Matthews, Editor The former Brown & Haley headquarters building on the Port of Tacoma tide flats is moving closer to its demise. On Thursday, Port of Tacoma Commissioners directed an additional $550,000 toward a project that calls for the demolition of the existing building and foundations on the 5.6-acre site. The Port has already set aside $300,000 for the project. Earlier this year, the Port spent $71,000 to board up the vacant building. According to Jan Shawyer, an engineering project manager at the Port, the money will be used to complete the design work necessary before the demolition can begin. That work includes addressing solvents in both the groundwater and surrounding soils; addressing building abatement of non-Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) hazardous materials; making determinations for remediation of PCB contaminants; coordinating efforts between the Port, the previous property owner, and regulatory agencies on clean-up efforts; developing and updating cost estimates and schedules; and developing bid documents for demolition. The building was constructed in 1948 to serve Washington Steel Products. A decade later, the company was purchased by Chicago-based Ekco Products Company. At the height of its operations, the company employed 475 people at the site. In 1965, Brown & Haley, the Tacoma candy-maker that produces Almond Roca and dates back to 1912, moved into the 116,000-square-foot building and remained there for more than 40 years. The Port of Tacoma purchased the property, located at 1940 East 11th Street, from Sound Mattress & Felt Company for $3 million in October 2006. The Port of Tacoma continued to lease the warehouse to the candy maker until August 2007, when the commission unanimously approved a decision to help relocate Brown & Haley's operations to a facility in Fife. The building was subsequently "red tagged" by the City of Tacoma after several structural failures were discovered. Additionally, contaminants such as asbestos, lead and universal wastes were discovered on the site. The Port of Tacoma determined the cost of repairs to the building outweighed the revenue generated by the building. A decision was made to raze the structure. Last year, the commission unanimously approved a proposal to begin planning for the site demolition.

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Tacoma City Council to discuss grant funding priorities, taxi cab stands Posted online Fri., Nov. 1 File Photo By Todd Matthews, Editor Tacoma residents will have plenty of opportunities next week to learn more about what's going on in city government. Tacoma City Council will hold its regular weekly study session and council meeting. In addition, Tacoma City Council's Neighborhoods and Housing Committee will meet Monday to receive an update on Neighborhood Council recommendations. Here is a look ahead at some notable activities next week at City Hall.

Building North, 733 Market St. Audio from the meeting will be broadcast live on TV Tacoma and online at tvtacoma.com. On-demand audio archives are available on the Web within 24 hours of the meeting online at tvtacoma.com. A copy of the agenda is available online at cityoftacoma. org.

"Some Port-owned assets may have reached the end of their useful life," Lou Paulsen, the Port of Tacoma's senior director of facilities development, told commissioners during the meeting last year to propose the demolition. "I'm here to present one such building." Paulsen told commissioners that major building damage included two broken trusses and extensive roof leaks. He also noted the building was no longer marketable. When asked if anything historically significant was left in the building after Brown & Haley relocated, Port of Tacoma project manager David My-

ers said, "It's basically just a shell of a building." He added that a safe that was once built into the structure had been removed by Brown & Haley. This week, Shawyer told commissioners the Port would advertise for bids in June and award a contract in July. The project would be completed by the end of next year. "[This would] allow us to make this property ready for the next use and future opportunities at the Port," said Scott Francis, a real estate manager at the Port.

TAXI CAB STANDS Also on Tuesday, Tacoma City Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution that would create four new taxi cab stands in Tacoma. Three taxi cab stands would be located near 6th AvHUD GRANT FUNDING PRIenue and North Anderson Street, 6th ORITIES Avenue and North Pine Street, and Tacoma City Council will meet on 6th Avenue between North Steele Tuesday at City Hall to discuss Street and North Prospect Street. Anfunding priorities for three federother taxi cab stand would be located ally-funded grant programs. on Court C between South 21st Street Each year, the City of Tacoma and South 23rd Street near the Holireceives Federal Community Deday Inn Express and the University velopment Block Grant, HOME Inof Washington Tacoma. vestment Partnership, and EmerAccording to City of Tacoma staff, gency Solutions Grant funds from taxi companies pay an annual license TACOMA CITY HALL the Department of Housing and of $175 for the opportunity to use taxi Urban Development. These funds stands. If councilmembers approve are used for a variety of housing, community and these locations, taxi cabs will be able to sit at economic development, and human services acthese designated locations rather than occupying tivities. At Tuesday's study session, staff from other parking spots in these areas. In addition, the City of Tacoma's Community and Economic they would provide safe locations out of the street Development (CEO) Department and Neighborwhere customers can load into taxi cabs. hood and Community Services Department will Tacoma City Council is scheduled to vote on provide a presentation and seek guidance from the issue during its regular weekly meeting on councilmembers on the funding priorities for Tues., Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. in City Council Chambers the upcoming application process. Tacoma City on the first floor of the Tacoma Municipal BuildCouncil is scheduled to make a final decision on ing, located at 747 Market St. The the meeting funding priorities in December. will be broadcast live on TV Tacoma and online at Councilmembers will discuss this issue durtvtacoma.com. Copies of the agenda and meeting ing a study session, which will be held on Tues., materials are available online at cityoftacoma. Nov. 5 at 12 p.m. in Room 16 of Tacoma Municipal org.


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