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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2014
Vol. CXXIV, No. 10
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
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LEGAL NOTICES BANKRUPTCIES LIENS ORDERS FEDERAL COURT AUDITORS OFFICE NEW BUSINESSES editor@tacomadailyindex.com
City allows more time to close Hilltop development deal Article By Todd Matthews, Editor Image Courtesy BLRB Architects A private developer who plans to purchase two vacant, City-owned historic buildings in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood and turn them into mixed-use centers was granted additional time this week to complete the deal. In August, Tacoma City Council approved a purchase and sale agreement to sell the 1906 KelloggSicker Building, located at 1114-16 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, and the 1904 Pochert Building, located at 1110-12 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, for $100,000 to Kellogg Sicker Pochert, LLC (formerly known as MLK Rehab). Both buildings were purchased by the City in 2005, sat vacant for years, and were added to the local historic register last year. Developer Kellogg Sicker Pochert, LLC plans to preserve the historic buildings and develop the 10,000 square feet of space into approximately 10 market-rate residential units on the upper floors and retail spaces on the ground floor. The agreement provided for a 60-day feasibility review period, with a 30-day extension if necessary. The project is part of a larger development plan that aims to bring housing, commercial, and retail spaces to the neighborhood through a partnership between the developer and Tacoma Housing Authority. Tacoma Housing Authority plans to develop two adjacent parcels, located at 1120 and 1124 Martin Luther King Jr.
Way, as new construction of three to five floors and about 40 to 50 units of workforce affordable housing. "We've been working hard to figure out how to make these things work," Kellogg Sicker Pochert, LLC developer Kevin Grossman told Tacoma City Council Tuesday at City Hall. "[It's] not necessarily a large project, but it's a complicated project because they are old brick buildings, [there's] lots of hazardous material, lots of deteriorated conditions, and it's really expensive to bring them back into use." Grossman told councilmembers his development team was prepared to close the deal at the beginning of December but still needed to work out "residual details" with City staff. "I think we'll be able to close probably by the end of January or early February,"
Tacoma seeks volunteers for TCRA Board
Posted online Tues., Jan. 14 Tacoma City Council is looking to fill two voluntary positions on the 10-member Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority (TCRA) Board. Both positions require experience in the construction or development industries. The TCRA Board, among other things, administers loans to a variety of clients including low-income Tacoma families that need help buying or repairing their homes, developers that provide multi-family housing to lowincome families, businesses that create jobs or rehabilitate blighted commercial spaces, and non-profit organizations that provide housing assistance and economic development services to the Tacoma community. TCRA Board members serve two-year terms. To the extent possible, the board shall
be comprised of two members with experience as attorneys, two members with experience in banking or financing, two members with experience in the construction or development industry, two members with experience as certified public accountants, and two members with three or more years of experience as licensed real estate brokers or agents. Applications must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office by Feb. 14, 2014. Apply on at cityoftacoma.org/cbcapplication or contact Linnea Meredith at (253) 591-5178, City Clerk's Office, Room 220, Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St., Tacoma, WA 98402. More information about the TCRA Board is available online at cityoftacoma.org or by contacting Jacinda Howard at (253) 591-5221.
added Grossman. "We just need a little bit more time to work with staff to iron a couple of details out." He also assured councilmembers he was confident the project would move forward. "The goal of this project is to revitalize the Hilltop and bring some really neat older buildings back online," said Grossman. "We've got some very good restaurateurs that are Tacoma-based that we're in discussion with about going into the ground-floor space. We've got our preliminary designs for bringing the upstairs residential back online. There was a small amount of office space that has been office and residential over the years that will come back into residential space that I think will be some of the coolest studios up on the Hilltop. So we're very excited about it." Ricardo Noguera, Tacoma's Community and Economic Development Department Director, noted the developer has been busy conducting site inspections and meeting with City staff to understand requirements for permitting. On Tuesday, Councilmembers adopted a resolution that amended the original purchase and sale agreement and allowed the developer to complete the deal by Feb. 28. "It is very exciting to see Safeway, People's Pool, Community Healthcare, and now this private project," said Councilmember Lauren Walker, whose district includes the Hilltop neighborhood. "I think the extra time is certainly in order and we're looking forward to seeing further movement."
NOTE TO READERS
In observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Tacoma Daily Index will not be published on Mon., Jan. 20. Publication will resume on Tues., Jan. 21.