Strategic Investment Pays Off for Tacoma from Page 8
In the end, the garage underwent a com-
plete seismic overhaul, and three floors were added to the building. PCS Structural Solutions, the project’s structural engineer, used a unique concrete skin, incorporated a central core solu- tion and addressed the dated serrated concrete exterior aesthetic. The floor immediately above the original
roof deck added 102 new parking stalls to sup- port the 68,800 square feet of Class A office space of the remaining two new floors. A new stair and elevator core was added in the center of the garage. Existing stairwells were renovat- ed andmodernized. Safety and visibility were improved
through removal of the exterior wall and cladding the open face with a 16-foot-wide by 58-foot-tall expanse of glass. All stairwell light- ing fixtures now feature secondary bulbs that provide constant low-light levels, and occupan- cy sensors brighten to design-lighting level whenever someone enters the stairwell. Under the terms of the agreement, the city
Photo by BLRB Architects
retained ownership of the garage and land, while the developer purchased the air rights above the parking deck and owns the two floors of office space. Pacific Plaza Development negotiated a 100-year lease with
the city for the 32,500 square feet of first-floor retail space and assumed responsibility for all modernization and tenant improvement costs. Within 12 months of completion, Pacific Plaza’s commercial spacewas fully occupied.
Greener Parking Pastures The original garage’s design maximized parking counts
through the use of the roof for parking and building out to the property
line.An efficient strategy formaximizing parking capac- ity, it had unintended environmental consequences. Open to heavy Northwest rainfall, stormwater collected on
the site was directed into the municipal storm water system, which emptied directly into the nearby Thea FossWaterway (a recently remediated Superfund site) and carried with it vehicular pollutants including dirt, oil, rubber and other chemicals. Because the new Pacific Plaza design, by BLRB Architects
in Tacoma, included the addition of commercial office space atop the original structure, rainwater contact with the parking decks and subsequent runoff were virtually eliminated. A
Factoids Energy-conservation strategies at Pacific Plaza in down-
town Tacoma,WA, are encouraged among garage patrons as well, with 26 preferred-parking stalls near the elevator bank reserved for alternative-fuel and low-emission vehicles. To encourage alternative commute methods, a secure storage area accommodates 21 bicycles. Complimentary storage lockers, showers and a private changing area are provided on each floor of office space as amenities for thosewhowalk, jog or bike to work. – BF
10
28,500-square-foot “green roof,” planted with sedum, grasses and wild flowers, captures and filters stormwater runoff, which is collected as gray water for non-potable use and irrigation of rooftop vegetation. New energy-sipping garage lighting with daylight harvest-
ing sensors was installed and ensures that the garage is well- lighted yet energy efficient during peak usage hours. This public-private partnership investment appears to have
paid off handsomely. The city and the developer successfully worked together to realize a project that would not have other- wise been feasible, even in the best of times, much less in the midst of an economic recession. Downtown Tacoma’s parking capacity – and resultant rev-
enue generation – was increased, and a deteriorating, outdated eyesore was given a dramatic, contemporary facelift that improved both the aesthetics and the safety of the building and surrounding area,while also attracting newcommercial tenants.
Ben Ferguson of BLRB Architects was the Project Manager for Pacific Plaza. He can be reached at
bferguson@blrb.com.
PT
Far exceeding the parameters of a conventional renova-
tion, the new Pacific Plaza complex is amodel of sustainable design. For example, it reused 78.3% of the original build- ing, and 97.9% of all construction waste was diverted from the city landfill and recycled into other byproducts. Over all, the building design specified 35.6% in recycled products. The project, designed by BLRB Architects in Tacoma, was awarded LEED Platinum CS certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. – BF
Parking Today
www.parkingtoday.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56