An ambitious idea for a massive cultural complex in Tacoma’s Brewery District hit hard reality Tuesday.
The Asia Pacific Cultural Center, led by executive director Lua Pritchard, wants the City Council to set aside half of downtown’s largest plot of undeveloped land for a year, and to write a letter of commitment to the project. She intends to use that commitment to raise $118 million to build a 381,314-square-foot development.
The project would be the largest commercial development in Tacoma in years. LeMay America’s Car Museum cost $60 million. The Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center rang in at $84 million. And the proposed Elks-McMenamins entertainment complex is a $58 million project, and part of it is withering for lack of financing.
Pritchard is undeterred.
“If you can bring in $1 million, you can bring in $10 million. If you can bring in $10 million, you can bring in more,” she told the council Tuesday during a forceful and passionate speech. “We know what we’re doing.”
Council member Lauren Walker said she wasn’t sure.
“Today’s presentation is the best I’ve seen, and I’m still asking the same questions I’ve been asking since last fall,” she said. “Before I go forward I need to have more information on the finances of the organization.”
Pritchard was one of the founding members of the APCC and became its executive director in May 2010. Previously she ran the Korean Women’s Association, where half of its $20 million annual budget comes through fundraising.
The APCC wants to develop half of “the Six-Acre Parcel,” which was the proposed site of the Tacoma Police headquarters until it moved to Pine Street. The land is southwest of the University of Washington Tacoma campus between South 21st and South 23rd streets, and has sat empty since 2002. The site is notable – the cultural center would be right on the edge of what was Tacoma’s Japantown prior to World War II.
The parcel has long been identified as a prime site for development related to the UWT and the Brewery District. UWT spokesman Mike Wark said Tuesday that the school is supportive of the concept and that the APCC hasn’t asked for any monetary contribution.
The president of a group of Brewery District business and property owners hadn’t heard of the plan until The News Tribune asked about it Tuesday. Rollie Herman of the Hillside Development Council said it seems early for the city to be making commitments.
“You’ve got six acres there that are key to the development of this end of downtown,” he said. “To lock yourself in to one person’s vision or one company’s vision is a little premature, regardless of who it is.”
Pritchard said in an interview last week that the project would create hundreds of jobs, but APCC hasn’t done a feasibility study. It has preliminary site drawings. The group approached the city in February, and economic development staff members have been working with Pritchard since then.
APCC was formed in 1996 and represents dozens of Asian and Pacific Islander ethnic groups. Its most notable program is the annual Lunar New Year Celebration, which draws thousands to the Tacoma Dome. It also works with at-risk kids and conducts training for teachers on cultural issues.
Among the mixed-use center’s features would be:
• Classrooms, exhibition halls and a 250-seat auditorium.
• A 50,000-square-foot grocer with an ethnic focus.
• 75 housing units, including 50 for senior citizens, 20 for students and five for visiting scholars and artists.
The land has issues. It probably needs environmental cleanup, and it’s probably underwater financially. The City of Tacoma has about $4.4 million in debt against it, and an in-house appraisal in 2009 put its value at $3.9 million.
During the study session, Mayor Marilyn Strickland said a city land commitment isn’t unprecedented, citing the Tacoma Art Museum, the Washington State History Museum and the LeMay museum.
“So the question is not whether we could, but how,” she said. “Questions that come up do not indicate a lack of support.”
Pritchard made her pitch.
“We are really here to hit you in the heart, because we know we have work that’s left to be done,” she said. “If we don’t take risks, we don’t get anything done.”
The APCC plans a broad capital campaign, Pritchard said. She emphasized that the group isn’t currently asking the city for financial help, only a written commitment. “We need time to complete our analysis. We need to find funders. Do we know how to do that? Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed.”
Strickland later asked economic development staff to comment. Director Ryan Petty and staff member Bob Levin approached, and Petty acknowledged the mood of excitement was about to change.
“Bob felt he might be turning on the sprinklers during the lawn party,” Petty said.
Levin told the council he couldn’t make a recommendation yet. Developers working with the city go through an 18-question general screening, and staff had come up with 16 more questions on the APC’s project. Finally, Levin told the council it’s unclear if the APC’s project would draw enough visitors and customers to stay open.
Walker was more direct.
“People come to us all the time with wonderful dreams. You’re not alone,” she said. “This is a big ask. I don’t know if you know that. Three-point-nine million dollars, the land is valued at. Three-point-nine million.” She then said the APC doesn’t have a large budget or a history of dealing with development anywhere close to that size.
Fey clarified that Tuesday’s request wasn’t for the city to commit to donating the land, just to tie it up for a year. Petty responded that legal and political issues are involved. Councilman Joe Lonergan asked whether the city might be able to profit on the land.
“Is this one of those cases where the city might on the open market get more than we paid for it? It’s rare, I know,” he said.
Acting city manager Rey Arellano said staff would have more information for the council to consider in a week.
“There’s obviously due diligence required here,” Fey said, “but a group that has worked this hard is entitled to a period of time to prove their cause.”
Kathleen Cooper: 253-597-8546 kathleen.cooper@thenews tribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/business Twitter: @KCooperTNT
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