Editor’s Note: Dana Greenlee’s weekly technology column isn’t running today because she’s still on vacation in Florida, land of sunshine, oranges and flying insects the size of small cars. Her column is tentatively set to return next Friday

National Community Development Services, Inc. (NCDS) has been contracted by the Asian Pacific Cultural Center to determine the final capital campaign cost for the building to be vacated by the Tacoma Art Museum.
The $2.2 million figure – which includes the $1.3 million purchase price – cited as the cost of a 15-month capital campaign to pay for the building and retrofitting is preliminary.
The Atlanta, Ga.-based NCDS will be conducting a six-to-eight-week feasibility study later this month to come up with a final figure, according to Shirl Gilbert, interim executive director of the Asia Pacific Cultural Center.
NCDS has worked on projects in Tacoma before, including budget concerns relating to the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, Shirl said.
The Tacoma Art Museum Board of Trustees accepted a purchase agreement for their current building at 1123 Pacific Ave. from the Asia Pacific Cultural Center at their board meeting on Feb. 25.
The Asia Pacific Cultural Center plans for the building to house a public tea room, gallery space, an auditorium and banquet room and classrooms, as well as other components to celebrate Asian and Pacific Island culture.
Gilbert said the Asia Pacific Cultural Center is temporarily located in the convention center at 1313 Market Street, courtesy of the city.
In the spring of 2003, the Tacoma Art Museum will move into its new 50,000-square-foot building currently under construction at 1701 Pacific Ave.
NCDS has already done a preliminary study regarding the capital campaign for the proposed new Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Gilbert said, with favorable results.
“The will is there in the community to do this project,” he noted.
Change is nothing new for the 81-year-old building, which started out as the National Bank of Tacoma and in 1971 became the Tacoma Art Museum.
As for the project’s timeline, the Tacoma Art Museum is scheduled to move out in May 2003, at which time the Asian Pacific Cultural Center will take possession of the building, Gilbert said.
He added the Asian Pacific Cultural Center is set to open in late fall of 2003 or in January 2004.