Mixed-Use Centers
Tacoma’s 16 Mixed-Use Centers are the primary areas for growth and change in Tacoma over the next 25 years. Focusing new growth in centers helps achieve goals of having more Tacomans live in complete neighborhoods, and use public transit and active transportation – walking, biking, and rolling – to commute to work and complete errands.
Designating these Mixed-Use Centers for concentrated growth is one of the feature strategies from Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan: One Tacoma, which is one of the strategic plans required by the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) that is updated by the City every ten years.
What Is a Mixed-Use Center?
Centers are compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented urban places. They are connected by public transit and active transportation networks. They anchor complete neighborhoods with retail stores and businesses (grocery stores, restaurants, markets, shops, etc.), civic amenities (libraries, schools, community centers, places of worship, etc.), housing options, health clinics, daycare centers, employment centers, plazas and parks, and other public gathering places. Mixed-use centers are the basis for achieving neighborhoods where residents can meet more of their everyday needs within an easy walk of their home.
Why Are Mixed-Use Centers Important?
Clustering medium- to large-scale urban growth will help mitigate and prepare for the effects of climate change, promote the development of more affordable housing options, and create more compact, walkable centers easily accessible by transit, walking, wheelchair, and bicycle. Promoting growth in Tacoma’s Mixed-Use Centers will therefore reduce the amount of driving needed to access services, thus reducing the impact on roadways, reducing congestion, and facilitating freight movement.
Neighborhood Centers:
- 6th Ave.
- Lincoln
- McKinley
- Narrows
- Proctor
- South Tacoma Way
Crossroads Centers:
- James Center
- Lower Pacific
- Upper Pacific
- Point Ruston
- Lower Portland Ave
- Upper Portland Ave
- Tacoma Central
- Westgate
Regional Growth Centers:
- Downtown
- Tacoma Mall