Sperry Ocean Meeting This Wednesday
The Sperry Ocean Terminal is seeking to tear down and rebuild their docks on Schuster Way. As part of the repairs, the owner would like to expand for another two large ships.
The current ships, the Cape Island and the Cape Intrepid, are each about 600 feet long. Their lights and noise have been a source of irritation for North End residents who overlook the ships.
From the Tribune’s article in October:
Karie Hayashi, an urban planner with the City of Tacoma’s Building and Land Use division, said concerns about noise, pollution and lighting associated with the building proposal will be considered in the city’s environmental review of the project.
The public meeting about the ships is scheduled for 6 PM Wednesday in City Council Chambers.
Filed under: General
12 comments
K Kristin November 12, 2007
It’s certainly understandable that they might be an eyesore to some residents up the hill there but I am in awe each time I drive by. I’m also proud to have such a great Naval fleet right here in our homeport. If you get a chance see the documentary on these Naval ships. It will give you some history on it’s purpose and basically show you there’s more to the story.
Also, there are several hundred reservists ready to protect us via the Homeland Security Act. I’d love to see more readyness with the Port Of Tacoma being the number 1 Port of entry on the Northern Pacific. Recently surpassing even Seattle. The Port Of Tacoma is among the Top 5 Shipping Ports In The World! Shouldn’t we protect ourselves?
I’d love to have the view with those ships there too. But I haven’t made my 2nd million yet. lol
Thank you for reading my post and I encourage debate on this issue.
J Jon Graef November 12, 2007
I’d like to see that terminal moor some Alaskan Cruise Ships and get a piece of the tourism pie that Seattle currently enjoys. We are just as close to Sea-Tac Airport and have more affordable hotels than King County.
C Crenshaw Sepulveda November 13, 2007
I’ve always been amused by these people complaining about these ships. It has been going on for years and years. How can people forget this is a working waterfront with the emphasis on working. It may not be the view they want, but it is a view. I am certain that many enjoy this particular view. No one will ever accuse Crenshaw Sepulveda of being a big fan of the military, but being against ships being docked on Shuster, or anywhere else in the port area is absurd.
C Crenshaw Sepulveda November 13, 2007
I’d like to see the Cruise ships leave from Tacoma as well but I can’t bear to think how Tacoma will be describe in the Cruise ship’s literature. On the high end train tour that departs from Tacoma we are described as “the Seattle area”. When big money is to be made it doesn’t look like they like to use the “T” word.
S Squid November 13, 2007
As far as tourism goes, I am fearful that our “brand” is already so well-established that it may be impossible to change. Which may be all for the best, I have a hard time believing we should spend a lot of time rolling that rock up the hill. We should focus our energy on making this a great place to live, then let the visitors come or not. If this becomes a great place to live, tourists will find it.
C Christian November 13, 2007
I may sing a different tune if I’m ever fortunate enough to live cliffside of the Tacoma waterfront, but since I’m currently about 2 miles inland and in the flight pattern of military cargo planes, my sympathy is running thin. In case someone forgot, the train that hustles along Schuster Parkway should serve as a daily reminder that we have a working waterfront. I also would like to see more use of our waterfront including the addition of some cruise ships. That’s more work for us, and I think our exposure and our “brand” will speak for itself if we continue to excel as a community.
R Reed November 13, 2007
I grew up and now live in this neighborhood. I don’t have a view but I see the soot from the ships when they are moved or warmed up from time to time. It can darken the sky and is very bad. It reminds me of the Asarco Smelter smokestack in the 60’s and 70’s. That we did have a view of and nobody thought wrong of it then. Of course that property is now on the EPA Superfund Priorty list along with 12 square miles of shoreline and several other local sites. It will never be cleaned up in our lifetime. In December Tacoma will also be designated as having the worst air quality in the state by the Department of Ecology. We are the only city to fail to meet the federal standards set in 2006. These ships and their polution will be within a block or two of the several thousand children that attend Stadium High School, The Annie Wright School, and use Garfield Park. Let’s embrace our industrial past but learn from it. We don’t want to be discussing what happened to these kids 30 years from now.
S Squid November 14, 2007
Eh, pollution. We aren’t the most polluted community in the state, it’s just the way fine particulates are counted. DoE has it in for us. We’re actually among the cleanest cities.
Whoops, used that joke already. I’ll try to come up with some new material.
M michael g. November 14, 2007
If those ships move, Tacoma will still have more than its fair share of waterfront devoted to industry. Tacoma shouldn’t fight to hold onto every last shred of its industrial/military past and present. Those sectors of the economy are important, but being too sentimental about them will be an impediment to a cleaner, more prosperous, and more progressive future for the city.
M M November 15, 2007
Someone once told me that the owner of that land started renting the dock to the military because he wanted to build condos there and “they” (the City presumably) wouldn’t let him. Does anyone know if this is true? I bet if he could build condos he would get rid of the ships…lol
I’m not sure if I love the look of them, but they sure are a conversation starter with visitors to our fair city! And before I moved to Tacoma, I never knew what a RORO was (Roll-On, Roll-Off ship, pronounced Row-Row).
M michael November 15, 2007
Normally, I throw my hat in with the pro working water front, pro working class crowd. But, on this one I think we’d be better off buying them out, extending the park, pulling out the bulk heads and doing habitat restoration.
Those ships mostly just sit there. What money is made, is made by the fat cats who collect mooring fees from the government.
T The Gulag November 15, 2007
On a related matter: How is the city planning on creating a continuous public waterfront with Continental Grain (I don’t know the current ops. name; I always refer to its pre-1999 name) smack dab in the middle? Is the city simply planning for future intentions? Realistically, I don’t see the grain towers going away anytime soon, especially since BNSF spots 80 to 100 car grain trains there almost every day during peak season. And if you consider that that general waterfront area has continuously been used for major grain and flour shipments pretty much since the city’s formation, I see the continuous waterfront plan rater blockaded for the foreseeable future.
Any thoughts?