Capital Facility Upgrades and Improvements
Upgrades or Improvements to City of Tacoma Facilities
Over time, the City of Tacoma facilities require upgrades or improvements to meet the current needs of our community. Some of these changes can include upgrades such as a new roof or improved accessibility features. However, many of the City’s facilities are old—some were built over 100 years ago—and no longer meet the needs of the City’s services nor the needs of the community. Thus, many buildings require replacement, rather than renovations or upgrades.
The City’s facilities and the services they provide require significant investment and a vision for the future. To study this problem and examine where to begin addressing it, we have formed a City Council-appointed volunteer committee comprised of Tacoma residents, individuals with deep connections to our community, and community members with expertise in architecture and engineering who are responsible for providing recommendations on this effort. They have a passion for improving our community and bring a diverse range of perspectives to the table. Their involvement ensures that public resources continue to be deployed effectively to improve City services and meet our community’s needs.
Capital Facility Upgrades and Improvements Committee
| Name | Council District | Past or Present Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Bartoy | District 2 | Chairman, Landmarks Preservation Commission |
| Nathe Lawver | District 1 | Community Workforce Agreement task force, Environmental Services Advisory Committee  |
| Anthony Steele | District 1 | City Planning Commission, City Hilltop Engagement Committee, Hilltop Business Association |
| Tracy Oster | District 1 | Board member 2nd Cycle, Board member Qualstar Credit Union, Sound Transit Community Oversight Panel member |
| Brett Santhuff | District 3 | Planning Commission, Neighborhood Councils (New Tacoma) |
| Paul Franetovich | District 1 | No City Affiliations, Local Business Owner |
| Maricres Castro | District 5 | Commissioner for the Tacoma Commission for Immigrant & Refugee Affairs. |
| Scott Heinze | District 2 | Tacoma School Board Director, Tacoma Human Rights Commission  |
| Lydia Zepeda | District 3 | Commissioner, Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs |
| Liz Collins | District 1 | Nature and Environment Advisory Council (former) -- Metro Parks |
| David Schroedel | District 1 | Past City of Tacoma Fiscal Sustainability Task Force Member; Current Downtown on the Go Board Member; Current Fire Chief's Community Advisory Committee Member; Past North End Neighborhood Council Board Member |
| Justin Everman | District 4 | Currently active in forming the McKinley Hill Business District assoc. |
| DJ Dean | Outside City Limits | No City Affiliations, Local Architect with Many Years of Experience in Tacoma |
| Sharon Chambers-Gordon | Outside City Limits | Board of Directors Hilltop Artists, Girls Scouts, Palmer Scholars Mentor, Realtor Association, City of Tacoma Recognition Committee some years ago.  |
| Ben Ferguson | Outside City Limits | Co-Vice Chair of Permit Advisory Group, member of Board of Building Appeals (architecture representative), member of Urban Design Review Professional Advisory Group  |
| Ashley Brewster | District 5 | Mayor's Youth Commission of Tacoma |
| Hayes Alexander III | District 3 | Hilltop Library Planning Committee, Peoples Center Steering Committee, Tacoma Tool Library |
| Jacki Skaught | District 2 | League of Women Voters |
| Susanne Marten | District 4 | Non-profit Board member who received a Tacoma Arts Commission grant (2021-23) and a Community and Economic Division grant (2022) |
Committee Activities and Progress
Conducted a Needs Assessment: While helping the City of Tacoma gather input from other Tacoma residents, committee members evaluated the current state of City of Tacoma-owned facilities and identified facilities and service areas that require upgrades improvements, or replacements.
Developed Recommendations: Based on the needs assessment that they conducted, committee members developed recommendations for the City of Tacoma to begin addressing identified issues. Their recommendation includes a long-term vision for improving the City’s facilities.
Presented Recommendations to the City Council: Committee members presented their recommendations to the City Council on September 27, 2023, to the Infrastructure, Planning, and Sustainability Committee as well as the full Council at the Study Session on October 24, 2023. These recommendations will inform the City of Tacoma’s next steps. Deeply involving Tacoma residents in the process also helps the City of Tacoma remain transparent, inclusive, and accountable.
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The Capital Facilities Plan is required by the Growth Management Act (GMA). The work of the Facility Advisory Committee has helped inform the draft project list for the 2025-2030 Capital Facilities Plan update. You can find the draft documents below. The Planning Commission also held a public hearing on these documents.
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Here are the final report materials containing the recommendations of the Facility Advisory Committee:Â