January 6, 2017

$30M Tacoma community center will start construction this spring

Images by ARC Architects courtesy of Metro Parks Tacoma [enlarge]

Eastside Community Center will be on the campus of First Creek Middle School in Tacoma.

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An aquatic center will replace an aging swimming pool located a few blocks away.

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The 60,000-square-foot building will have a commons area off the lobby.

Metro Parks Tacoma expects to start construction this spring on the Eastside Community Center, on the campus of First Creek Middle School at Portland Avenue and East 56th Street.

Korsmo Construction of Tacoma has been picked as the general contractor/construction manager. The construction budget is not final, but early estimates put the cost at about $30 million.

ARC Architects of Seattle designed the 60,000-square-foot space, which will have an aquatic center, gymnasium, fitness areas, social hall, multipurpose room, technology lounge, recording studio and commercial kitchen.

Hunter T. George, chief public affairs officer at Metro Parks, said local kids got involved in designing the kitchen after they visited commercial kitchens run by college students studying culinary arts.

Other college students helped teach the kids how to give presentations, and George said they presented their ideas to Metro Parks' board of commissioners.

George said a similar approach was taken in designing the recording studio.

The center will target youth from the neighborhood, an age group that is underserved in east Tacoma. Metro Parks will operate it in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound. Tacoma Public Schools, Tacoma Housing Authority and the city of Tacoma are also involved.

George said they are seeking permits from the city, and hope to have the center open in summer 2018.

Funding comes from a number of sources: $10 million from a $198 million parks bond approved in 2014, $5 million from the city, $3 million in private donations, between $3 million and $5 million worth of federal new markets tax credits, and $1.4 million from the state.

Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound is co-leading the private fundraising effort with the nonprofit Greater Metro Parks Foundation.

Metro Parks Tacoma also expects to get about $3 million from selling the Portland Avenue Park and Community Center, which the new project will replace. Hunter said they will go back to the state for the remaining funds, about $2.5 million.

The project's website says the Portland Avenue Community Center is undersized and lacks a gym. Also, the Eastside Community Pool a few blocks away is nearing the end of its life.

Plans for a new community center were inspired by east Tacoma resident Billy Ray Shirley III, who was murdered in 2011 at age 17. According to his foundation page, Shirley spent many hours volunteering and dreamed of opening a community center in the neighborhood.

Here is the rest of the team: Counsilman-Hunsaker, aquatic design; AHBL, civil engineer; PCS Structural Solutions, structural engineer; Interface Engineering, mechanical engineer; Travis, Fitzmaurice & Associates, electrical engineer; SSA Acoustics, acoustic/audio-visual design; Bruce Dees & Associates, landscape architect; Clevenger Associates, food service design; GeoEngineers, wetlands/geotechnical engineer; RDH Building Science, envelope; Fermata Consulting, sustainable design; DCW Cost Management, estimating; and Ballard*King & Associates, recreation planning.