The Tacoma City Council approved a settlement agreement Tuesday with the final private owner of property in the South Park Plaza.
Council members agreed to pay Kenneth Robblee $2.3 million for three parcels in the garage along Pacific Avenue, as well as air rights. Although the city owns the garage, it sold the property beneath the lowest parking decks after the structure was built. South Park Plaza was built more than 30 years ago along with a second garage as part of a federal urban renewal program.
The sum includes $200,000 for relocation benefits and $150,000 for attorney fees.
The council’s vote came over the objections of Robblee, who took the unusual step of testifying against the settlement he and his lawyers had already agreed to. He said the deal was reached in haste after a long mediation session, he had been ill and in fact did not approve of the terms.
In October, the city settled a similar condemnation case with the owners of Brodsky’s Uniform & Equipment.
The city considers the garage an eyesore and is working with a private developer to rehabilitate it. The plan includes a face-lift, structural strengthening, adding 102 city-owned parking stalls, and adding 67,000 square feet of office space and 36,000 square feet of retail space.
The plan required the city to acquire property from five owners and then sell it to the developer, Pacific Plaza Development.
Jason Hagey, The News Tribune
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