The downtown Gig Harbor model project, led by Design Review Board Chair Darrin Finland and Planning Commissioner Rick Gagliano, has reached a milestone.

“We now have sufficient funding ... to finally build the full topography model base,” Gagliano said, thanking the local businesses and organizations that have made the project possible. “I think that’s an important thing, because it indicates there’s outside momentum and interest in revitalizing downtown.”

The project’s goal is to raise $15,000, Gagliano said.

“We’re not quite there yet, but we have enough to build the model base,” he said. “Yeah, we’ll make it.”

Students from Gig Harbor and Peninsula high schools have been busy gathering parcel information that will be used to populate the 9-foot by 5-foot, three-dimensional model of downtown Gig Harbor. During the past few months, participating students have learned about architecture scale, zoning, site planning and mapping techniques, Gagliano said, adding there’s room for more students to get involved.

The model will be used for hands-on planning exercises during the city’s ongoing downtown vision process. Plans call for the model to tentatively be completed this spring.

Gagliano praised the students who are involved in the project and thanked them for their efforts.

They are: Walker Carlson, Allie Cosmos, Kait Dawson, Annie DeClements, Steve Fischer, Evelyn Lundeen, Nikayla Newberg, Charles Paganelli, Claire Summa, Lizzie Brinkman, Connor Cox, Curtis Herrieux, Jake Quincey, Andrew Rose, Lilly Shaffer, Kelsea Willenbrock, Jacob Willenbrock, Zach Becken, Noah Johnson, Grant Larson, Alex Meacham, Jonathan Nilsen, Conor Scanlan, Raven Shipley, Nathan Greenley, Samantah Tait, Joe Stewart, Solomam Oathout, Zachary Freeman, Summer Adams, Turi Abbot, Natasha Dietzler, Casey Guardia, Brent Villa, Julian Blackwell, Bryce Turley, Elizabeth Kemp, Bekah Ashpole, MacKenzie Norstrom and Haleigh Vergera.