New apartment development in the works for storage lot on Tacoma’s Sixth Avenue
More apartments are proposed for Tacoma’s Sixth Avenue.
Plans filed with the city dating back to February 2022 call for new apartments at 1614 Sixth Ave., near the corner of Sixth and Grant Avenue.
According to permit filings, the project calls for a three-story mixed-use development with 12 apartments, along with commercial/creative co-working office space and fewer than 10 parking spaces.
Site development plans were filed this month with the city.
The developers requested a parking variance in June 2022 to reduce the required parking at the site from 18 stalls to nine.
According to the permit decision, the developers told the city said that 18 stalls would “require the entire main floor of the building to be a parking lot. By granting the variance, the project can add commercial space, additional units, and a landscaped court.”
The developers, according to the city in the documents, also noted, “The site is located directly on a bike route and an active bus route. ...The neighborhood has many amenities within a one-mile radius, making the site ‘very walkable’ and ‘very bikeable.’“
The city, in the documents, said that in response to public comments, “the applicant states they agree a holistic view of the neighborhood parking is important. They believe the alley improvements they are required to do as part of the project will allow garbage and recycling pick-up to happen in the alley. The applicants state they live in the neighborhood and prefer to use active transportation or public transit and hope to have similar-minded people in their project.”
The variance was approved in December by the city with conditions.
One condition noted: “To be accessible, the alley apron will need to be modified and compliant directional curb ramps must be provided on the Southwest and Northeast corners of the intersection at Ainsworth and 6th Avenue. The ramps identified will be directional crossing both Sixth and Ainsworth.”
Megan Snow, media representative for the city, clarified for The News Tribune on Friday what that means.
“The condition is based on the requirement that there be an ADA-accessible route to get to the bus stops,” Snow said. “The requirement is a half block away because that is the route to the bus stop.”
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Another condition required “Enhanced bicycle storage to support increased use.”
“For long-term bicycle parking, provide 14 stalls total — in a secured area with controlled access and only accessible/visible to residents. Consider adding chargers for people with electric bicycles. For short-term bicycle parking, provide an additional 2 stalls in the courtyard for added security,” according to the condition.
The property was sold in November 2021 by a family trust to 6th and Grant Apartments LLC, representing a group of local developers.
Cady Chintis, one of the people behind the project, told The News Tribune on Friday via email that there were no renderings to provide and that developers “wouldn’t be able to give a meaningful estimate to start or complete the project at this time.”
Meanwhile, at the former Kmart site, 5132 6th Ave., Seattle-based Goodman Real Estate is working on its 10.6-acre project.
An LLC affiliated with Goodman purchased the site two years ago for $14 million.
The project, called Tacoma Marketplace, is set to add more than 400 new units to the city.
Goodman Real Estate responded to The News Tribune on Friday for a project update. The company said via email, “We anticipate completion of the first phase of the project by Q1 of 2024, with property operations also beginning at that time.”
