Momentum for the Sake of Momentum
In the song “Lion’s Jaws,” Neko Case sings,
Those teeth themselves could not divine
Nor their pressure estimate
The haze I wish to never break
And to never contemplate – Momentum for the sake of momentum.
The sentiment of those lyrics is clearly interpersonal. Nonetheless, that same nervous vision which sees movement as progress clouds more than just romantic relationships. “Momentum for the sake of momentum” fittingly explains why our downtown has so many horrid parking garages and precious fewer links to Tacoma’s heritage (notice the careful wording).
Yesterday, it was announced that further ink has been set to paper in the matter of a grocer for Pacific Plaza. The ever-vigilant Tacoma News Tribune covered the story here. This ultra-modern downtown complex has been practically aching to live up to the promise of its green design, and any kind of high-volume retail can only bring it closer to doing so. Empty downtown retail space is not good. Filling it with attorneys general is somewhat better than “not good”. A full-service IGA grocer, on the other hand – now that’s momentum.
Clearly, the business plan driving this development is a forward-thinking one. At the present time, the droves necessary to clog an express lane with sullen coupon-clippers simply… well, don’t seem to exist. The residential capacity certainly exists (buy now, invest), and the market is beginning to loosen. Not to mention that development of this sort tends to pave the way for similar projects in the future.
When we consider the future of Pacific Plaza, it also seems fitting to wonder if, after so much longing, a downtown supermarket will be our development anchor. Would something else – another retailer or big box store – possibly better serve the neighborhood as it is today? What impact, if any, will this store have on the local institution of Stadium Thriftway? What’s next?
These questions are not asked pessimistically, but with interest in expanding the conversation about yesterday’s news. We are interested in hearing your thoughts.
Filed under: General
16 comments
T the eyeroller February 16, 2011
hopefully it will force Thriftway to COMPETE and lower their ridiculous prices a little.
J Justin February 16, 2011
“while you didn’t want to appear pessimistic” you kind of do.
This is a great thing for down town. If downtown is going to attract businesses we need to have a higher density of down town. Having a grocery store will help people with that decisions to move closer to the core and hopefully attract “big box stores”.
This is good… GREAT now lets hope they don’t have shopping carts!
E Erik B. February 16, 2011
What impact, if any, will this store have on the local institution of Stadium Thriftway? What’s next?
The whole point of having a grocery store downtown is to EXPAND the number of people coming and shopping downtown.
When Metropolitan Market considered coming to Proctor, many were concerned that it might hurt the existing Safeway. The end result was, of course, that it added many people to the area.
The more the merrier mentality has made Pike Place Market a world destination. If the merchants within Pike Place tried to keep each other down, they place would have closed years ago.
Re: Momentum: I would be surprised if more retailers started looking more seriously at downtown now with the grocery store announcement.
R RR Anderson February 16, 2011
excellent news for Rob McKenna who from his plush new ‘green’ parking garage office space he can protect Washingtonians by plotting to overthrow OBAMACARE AND save money by walking next door to buy hot pockets.
W Weyland Duir February 16, 2011
If our vision of a vital downtown corridor — a place where people live, work and play — is to be realized, a grocery store is an excellent place to start. We certainly don’t need more coffee shops, eateries and gift shops down here. We need to focus on the kinds of goods and services people want/need on a daily basis if we want people living and working down here. A liveable and sustainable downtown neighborhood will never be able to support recreational shopping.
L low bar February 17, 2011
the pulp mill has got to go.
“The olfactory bulb has intimate access to the amygdala, which processes emotion, and the hippocampus, which is responsible for associative learning. Despite the tight wiring, however, smells would not trigger memories if it weren’t for conditioned responses. When you first smell a new scent, you link it to an event, a person, a thing or even a moment.”
yeah like the moment you first drove by tacoma and were like WTF?? now that memory is firmly engrained in people who were alive BEFORE the emissions control of the mill. and people today, no matter what, can smell that bullshit on I5. it may be less, but its there folks.
the mill has to go if tacoma wants to move forward. this isn’t rocket science.
personally i can do without:
“specialty natural linerboard, including stain resistant (for use in food packaging such as pizza boxes), saturating and building board and bleached and natural papers for use in coin wrap, grocery bags, multiwall shipping sacks, and butcher and freezer wrap.”
and all the displaced workers? worker retraining, work first, etc. give em technical retraining and higher paying tech jobs. its going to happen sooner or latter anyways. i bet you could probably make all that packaging crap cheaper from hemp or bamboo in some other country anyways. whatever the world is going to end before tacoma becomes whatever it is tacomans think its lacking. maybe the way forward is to just be happy with whats there and forget what other cities are doing. i mean clean water used to be the only thing cities needed. everything else is just a bonus. BUT ITS SO DAMN HARD WHEN YOU’VE GOT PROM QUEEN SEATTLE RIGHT UP THE ROAD.
M Mofo from the Hood February 17, 2011
Heck, if Pacific Plaza got a 7-11 that would be neat. Everybody needs somethin’ from 7-11 once in a while.
J jamie from thriceallamerican February 17, 2011
Not to get into the “if we just had this one more thing” game, but I bet a downtown Target would make a world of difference to attracting potential residents (not to mention other complementary businesses).
R RR Anderson February 17, 2011
took exit133 A to center street off ramp last night with the windows rolled down. 5:48 PM heavy propane stank smell wafting off the port of Tacoma tide flats.
L low bar February 17, 2011
and i don’t believe in all this bullcrap about homeless people cramping pacific plaza’s style. put a 7-11 anywhere and there is going to be someone on the fringe holding the door open for you there. i hope downtown tacoma gets flooded with stores and homeless people. i give homeless people money all the time. even the crazy ones become reasonably cognitive for a second when you stick a dollar bill in their hands. the homeless aren’t downtowns enemy, the f-ing refinery and mill are. f that mill. and f IGA. what tacoma needs is a trader joes or tacoma boys downtown. nowhere is it written that tacomans can’t wear hawaiian shirts all year round or that stores like TB can’t also secondly serve as beacons of local identity. why put a faceless IGA in when you’ve got f-ing tacoma boys??
J jamie from thriceallamerican February 17, 2011
this: “hawaiian shirts all year round”
ha.
D dolly varden February 17, 2011
I agree with low bar that the pulp mill is one of the biggest challenges downtown Tacoma has when it comes to economic development. Successful 21st century cities do not have pulp mills or other noxious industry within sniffin’ distance of their downtown.
On the other hand, I think the IGA is a pretty good thing.
E Evelyn in Tacoma February 18, 2011
Actually, I thought this was a story about Sake Momentum—something new in rice wine. But a grocery store will be GREAT! I have meetings in the Pacific Place building and it is really a terrific building.
K Kat February 19, 2011
Personally, while it pains me to say it, I think what downtown Tacoma needs is Big Business or Chain stores. I know, it’s kind of like making a deal with the Devil, but if we had more recognizable, basic needs stores downtown would get more business. So bring on the Targets and Walgreens. PLEASE.
C crenshaw sepulveda February 19, 2011
Buy Now!! or Invest!!
M Mofo from the Hood February 19, 2011
It really takes a lot a energy to pretend that downtown has not and is not moving toward more narrow streets, vacant lots and government offices.