UWT and Its Planned Campus

Dan Voelpel’s recent article in the Tribune details a struggle between the University of Washington, Tacoma, and the Gintz Group, who wants to develop a condo project within the boundaries of its future campus.

We’ve heard similar stories of major institutions butting up against their surrounding neighborhood before. Like the Port of Tacoma’s scuffle with developers over the Crosswater Condos on the east side of the Foss. Even Multicare’s purchase of First United Methodist Church fits the same kind of story.

Of course, each of these stories are different in telling ways.

With UWT, in particular, we have seen active attempts to work with the surrounding neighborhood and the broader community. The University has a master plan filed with the City that covers its future for the next … oh, 50 years or so. It already owns about than 70% of the planned 46-acre campus.

So it’s not like it’s going anywhere. And no one would want it to. They worked very well with developers of Court 17. They have helped retail to thrive on Pacific Ave. We hope they can work something out with the Gintz Group.