Does Tesla have plans for Tacoma’s West End? Here’s what filings to city show
Plans for a new Tesla vehicle facility in Tacoma appear to be moving forward.
A building-permit application was filed with the city June 27 that outlines plans for a Tesla Tacoma Collision Center, with the work valued at an estimated $1 million, according to the application.
The former Baxter Auto Parts site, 5950 N. Ninth St., is just off state Route 16 and behind the Highland Hill Shopping Center in Tacoma’s West End. The shopping center is anchored by a WinCo grocery store.
The company on its website describes its collision centers as “dedicated locations that perform cosmetic fixes, light collision work and full structural repairs.”
The company lists one Tesla owned/operated collision location in Washington state, in Bellevue.
A tentative start date for the project is listed as August. The company did not respond to a request for comment sent to its email contact for media.
City media representative Maria Lee, in response to questions, told The News Tribune via email, “Permitting just started a few days ago ... and it’s still in the screening stage.”
The latest filing is tied to a pre-application for tenant improvement at the site filed in April. That proposal gave an estimated valuation of $3 million and called for renovations, including interior demolition, new interior finishes, new mechanical, electrical and plumbing.
The pre-app was followed by a land-use zoning verification request in mid-May, which stated the applicant needed to “provide Tesla with a zoning letter, as part of their internal approval process.”
“The zoning letter can be subject to any future approvals, Tesla just needs to confirm if they get all approvals, their use is allowed,” according to the filing as seen in the city’s permit portal online.
Examples of uses included the sale of new and pre-owned automobiles, auto parts and accessories, as well as “test drives, parking and delivery of new and pre-owned automobiles, indoor and outdoor overnight storage of new and pre-owned automobiles.”
It also listed “maintenance, service, repair and charging of new and pre-owned automobiles. The sale of solar panels, batteries, and other energy products,” as well as general office use.
A marketing brochure this spring showed the approximately 30,000-square-feet building for sale or lease, with a listed sale price of $7.5 million. The site last traded hands in 2020 for $6.1 million, according county records and is currently owned by an LLC in Oregon.
Austin-based Tesla has a showroom/service center at 3701 20th St. E., Fife, along northbound Interstate 5. The company also has various Supercharger stations in the area.
The Fife Tesla dealership earlier this year attracted protesters as part of the national “Tesla Takedown” organized by opponents of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s work within the Trump administration.
