Proposed Tacoma Dome light rail station would demolish part of Freighthouse Square
Sound Transit is considering a new station for the Tacoma Dome Link Extension project that includes partial demolition of a well-known landmark in Tacoma.
The station platform, spanning roughly 325 feet, would impact the east side of Freighthouse Square, a 110-year-old building that hosts a market of small shops. The west side of the building and the Amtrak station would remain in tact.
The station would be elevated, leaving a guide way beneath. Sound Transit is exploring whether that space could be filled with commercial development — something the agency said it hasn’t tried before.
“It might not look like the original Freighthouse Square, but we would like to see what we can do to keep space there for non-transit usage,” Sound Transit spokesperson Scott Thompson said.
The option is part of a newly-proposed “Close to Sounder” alignment, which was brought forward after the “Cut and Cover” — or underground — alignment option was removed from consideration. The alignment hugs the Sounder tracks from the east.
“I think this is a creative way to make sure we take advantage of the density and the urban fabric of the community,” Sound Transit project development director Curvie Hawkins Jr. said. “We know a guide way coming through there will be disruptive, but I think the end result will be a better urban fabric when we’re finished. That’s the goal.”
“Close to Sounder” is one of four alignment options being considered for the 9.7-mile Tacoma Dome Link Extension project that would expand light rail from the Federal Way Transit Center to the Tacoma Dome Station. The project is part of the Sound Transit 3 Plan (ST3). Voters approved funding in 2016.
The goal is to have the link running by 2030, drawing an estimated 25,000 riders. In Tacoma, the project is still in the environmental study phase. There’s been no decision on alignment.
Brian Borgelt, the owner of Freighthouse Square, said he’s not particularly surprised by the proposal and pointed to past legal fights over impacts to the building. In 2016, the state Department of Transportation sued in Pierce County Superior Court to acquire the section of the building by condemnation for an Amtrak station. The two parties eventually came to an agreement.
“We’re voicing our concerns based on past experience, which is not ideal,” Borgelt said.
Borgelt said he supports the creation of a transit hub as long as he and his tenants are adequately compensated for any impacts.
“Our concern is to be kept whole regardless of the outcome ... We’re like a big family down here, so we take this professionally and personally,” Borgelt said.
Janice McNeal, president of the Dome Business District, told The News Tribune the group was not presented with the details of the new alignment but that it could be an “acceptable compromise” and emphasized the need for a vibrant station.
At a study session on Tuesday, Mayor Victoria Woodards showed support for the option while acknowledging concerns from the public.
“There is now, I believe, a really good option on the table,” she said. “... I think there’s some fear in the community that we’ll build some station that isn’t anything but a station, and it sort of plays into the fear of it becoming derelict … There really is support to activate the station.”
Sound Transit will make a final decision on alignment in 2022 with anticipated construction in 2025.
When asked how the passing of Initiative 976 could impact the project, Thompson said the agency would know more after a Nov. 21 board.
For now, it’s likely that any projects currently under construction or under contract would not be delayed, he said.
Have your say
The public can share thoughts on the TDLE project online or attend drop-in sessions throughout Tacoma:
▪ Saturday (Nov. 16), 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Eastside Community Center, 1721 E. 56th St.
▪ Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., UW Tacoma Campus, 1900 Commerce St.
▪ Dec. 4, 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., Tacoma Sounder Station, 424 E. 25th St.
