Tacoma City Council could vote later this month on whether to submit an application to the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) for a $50,000 grant to prepare a subarea plan and environmental impact statement for Tacoma’s “North Downtown” neighborhood, which includes the commercial core, Thea Foss Waterway, St. Helens District, and Stadium District.

According to the grant application, which was prepared by Ian Munce, the city’s long-range planning division manager, on March 28, the $75,000 study aims to develop an innovative area-wide long-range plan for the north end of downtown Tacoma, fast-track revitalization through up-front environmental review, plan and design capital facilities, and plan for infrastructure and neighborhood amenities to support increased density. It also hopes to attract new private sector investment and job growth to the area.

Similar studies are under way in Tacoma’s South Downtown and MLK neighborhoods.

If the City is awarded the grant, a project team would work closely with property owners, businesses, residents and community members to complete a plan by the end of next year. Last week, representatives from the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County, Foss Waterway Development Authority, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Pierce Transit, Tacoma Pierce County Chamber, and the University of Washington Tacoma submitted letters supporting the grant application.

City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to submit the grant application during its meeting on April 17.

For more information about the project, including the grant application and area map, visit cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=18027.