A former boat building shed at the Thea Foss Waterway’s southern end could be converted to a dry storage facility for human-powered boats at a relatively modest cost, a new study says.
The long, narrow shed is on land the Foss Waterway Development Authority owns on the east side of the near-downtown waterway close to the intersection of East D and Dock streets.
The study, presented to the Foss Waterway Development Authority last week, pegs the rehabilitation cost of the 6,400-square-foot building at about $42 a square foot – a little less than $269,000.
Building a new building, closer to an existing float, would cost an estimated $65 to $70 a square foot.
Tacoma rowing enthusiast and boating entrepreneur Steve Wells said Wednesday he is sure that such a boathouse would find instant business.
“Tacoma is the only major city on the West Coast without a boathouse. All of the others’ boathouses have waiting lists,” Wells said.
Wells said his initial reaction to the relatively low cost of the conversion was positive. “When I heard the price, I said ‘Wow.’”
Without a boathouse, he said, it’s hard for rowing enthusiasts to enjoy their sports.
“I sell rowing shells. The shortest of those is 21 feet. The longest is 32 feet. That’s too big for the average garage,” he said.
The boathouse could be the home for the rowing teams from both PLU and UPS as well as for recreational programs run by such organizations as the YMCA, Metro Parks or the Boys & Girls Club.
The authority bought the site south of the South 19th Street bridge over the waterway in 2004 with the idea of turning the site into a park. The plating business on the north side of the property has left, and that site has been cleaned up.
A float for users of human-powered watercraft such as rowing shells, kayaks, canoes and dragon boats has been built on the site’s north side.
Meanwhile, Berg Scaffolding remains a tenant on the site’s southern half. The study, paid for by Pierce County, was commissioned to assess the condition of the building, years ago used for boat construction.
That study found the building’s heavy timber structural members were in relatively good shape, though the building’s plywood sheathing and roof need replacement.
The study recommends replacing the siding with metal panels and removing asbestos and lead paint.
While the study found that the rehabilitation cost to remake the building is relatively modest, it isn’t the only impediment to moving forward. Environmental cleanup on site would require another $300,000, said the authority’s acting director, Su Dowie.
The authority plans to investigate potential grant funding to complete the project.
The authority itself, squeezed by slow land sales along the Foss on which it normally depends for funding, is seeking a loan from the City of Tacoma just to keep itself operating through the end of the year.
John Gillie: 253-597-8663
