1712 6TH 1019 Pacific AVE., Avenue, SUITE Suite 3001216 PO Box 1303, TACOMA, WA TACOMA, 98405 WA 98401 PHONE (253) 627-4853 FAX (253) 627-2253
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014
Vol. CXXIII, No. 247
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices Visit our Web site at at www.tacomadailyindex.com
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
INSIDE:
LEGAL NOTICES BANKRUPTCIES LIENS ORDERS FEDERAL COURT AUDITORS OFFICE NEW BUSINESSES editor@tacomadailyindex.com
Tacoma, Pierce County pick operator for planned youth crisis center
Top Stories 2014
#5 — Wells Fargo Bank Relocation
Article and File Photo By Todd Matthews, Editor EDITOR'S NOTE: The Tacoma Daily Index is looking back at the 10 most popular and most read articles among visitors to our Web site. Enjoy! One weekday morning in January, I was in downtown Tacoma when I noticed a contractor was hard at work converting street-level retail space once home to a cafe and wine bar into a new Wells Fargo Bank branch. That seemed odd considering the 25-story, 308,000-square-foot, city-block-sized Wells Fargo Plaza high-rise was located just two blocks away. After digging into public records online, I noticed Wells Fargo submitted an application to the U.S. Department of the Treasury to relocate its downtown Tacoma main branch from Wells Fargo Plaza, located at 1201 Pacific Ave., to this new location at 1001 Pacific Ave. The request was approved in September 2013. A Wells Fargo Bank spokesperson confirmed the relocation plans, but wouldn't share more. A spokesperson for Unico Properties, which owns and manages Wells Fargo Plaza, wouldn't comment other than to confirm the downtown Tacoma tower "is — and will remain — Wells Fargo Plaza."
NOTE TO READERS
In observance of Christmas Day, the Tacoma Daily Index will not be published on Thurs., Dec. 25. Publication will resume on Fri., Dec. 26.
I published an article with the information I was able to gather, letting readers know I would update the story once more information was available (see "Wells Fargo plans downtown Tacoma relocation," Tacoma Daily Index, Jan. 28, 2014). The story was very popular among Tacoma Daily Index readers (see "Tacoma Daily Index Top Stories — January 2014," Tacoma Daily Index, Feb. 3, 2014) and others (see "Downtown Tacoma's Well Fargo bank moving out of Wells Fargo Plaza," The News Tribune, Jan. 29, 2014). Two days later, Well Fargo Bank issued a press release confirming their plans. The new branch would open in late-March. All 10 existing Wells Fargo employees would move from Wells Fargo Plaza to the new 1,600-square-foot location, which would feature five teller windows, a street-level ATM, night drop, a historic mural highlighting the neighborhood's unique history, and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver-certified design. A variety of Wells Fargo business lines would continue to have offices at the Wells Fargo Plaza, and there would continue to be ATM located in the lobby for customer use. "Our new banking store will be larger to better suit the needs of our customers and will provide convenient street-level access to the downtown Tacoma community," a Wells Fargo spokesperson added. "This new store location is an investment in our customers, team members and the entire Tacoma community. We are excited to offer our customers a comfortable banking environment for them to conduct their business."
Posted online Tues., Dec. 23 The City of Tacoma and Pierce County have selected Community Youth Services, through a competitive Request for Qualifications process, as the operator of a planned Youth and Young Adult Crisis Center and Emergency Shelter. The City and County are working together to address youth homelessness. According to the most recent Point-in-Time Count that was conducted in January 2014, throughout the year nearly 500 youth and young adults in Pierce County are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, including "couch surfing." Access Point for Housing has identified over 300 unaccompanied youth and young adults who are in need of housing and critical support services. "The crisis center and emergency shelter will fill a gap in service that currently exists in Tacoma and Pierce County for our youth," said Pamela Duncan, City of Tacoma human services division manager. "We know this is an important service that is vitally needed in our community." The City and County have partnered to select an operator and provide funding for the purchase, rehabilitation and ongoing operations of the Center. The youth and young adult crisis center and emergency shelter is still in the planning phases. Community Youth Services, a youth service organization based in Olympia, Wash., will work with the City and County to locate a site and prepare for Center operations. The partners will begin a search for a center location in the first quarter of 2015. "Community Youth Services brings over 40 years of experience working with youth and young adults in crisis," said Tess Colby, Pierce County housing, homelessness and community development division manager. "We look forward to partnering with this agency to bring much needed services to vulnerable youth."