Center for Urban Waters Facts

The Center for Urban Waters, a 51,000-square-foot lab and office building, is located on the east side of the Thea Foss Waterway. This City of Tacoma facility houses the City’s Environmental Services labs and offices, University of Washington Tacoma research labs, and Maritime Blue Innovation Incubator. This collaboration brings together researchers, implementers, and policymakers to develop and apply the best possible science to restoring and protecting Puget Sound. The site includes a public esplanade and a 75-foot dock to accommodate water-monitoring vessels.

Size

Three-story building, approximately 51,000 square feet, including about 36,000 square feet of office space and 12,000 square feet of lab space.

Construction Cost

$22 million, completed in April 2010

Building Occupants 

• The City’s Environmental Services Division executive leadership, laboratories, engineering offices, and environmental policy offices.
• University of Washington Tacoma labs for research led by Dr. Joel Baker, the Port of Tacoma Chair in Environmental Science and Professor, UWT science director, Center for Urban Waters
• Offices for Maritime Blue Innovation Incubator, which supports entrepreneurship and community in the South Sound blue economy.
  Sustainability

The Center for Urban Waters has been certified LEED® Platinum (v2.2) by the Green Building Certification Institute. Platinum is the highest possible rating under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building certification system. LEED® is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance buildings.
 
The sustainable elements of the Center for Urban Waters are highlighted in this brochure. (The brochure PDF opens with the outside panels showing; scroll down to see the inside panels.)
 

Water Efficiency

• Facility uses 46% less water than a conventional facility.
• A 12,000-square-foot green roof absorbs rainfall and filters pollutants from the air and rainwater.
• Two 36,000-gallon tanks collect storm water from the green roof and water rejected from the laboratory’s pure water system
• Water collected in the tanks is used to flush toilets and irrigate plants.
  Energy Savings
• Facility uses 34% less energy than a standard building.
• Ground source heat pump uses the constant temperature of underlying groundwater to heat and cool the building. This is accomplished by 84 geothermal wells, each approximately 280 feet deep, under the esplanade and parking lot.
• Motorized exterior shades on the west side of the building are programmed to automatically adjust to daylight levels throughout the day.
  Materials
• Timbers salvaged from the demolished Tacoma Municipal Dock were re-milled and used on walls and ceilings in the lobby and conference rooms.
• Old granite curbs, recovered from street improvement projects, were recycled into benches.
• More than 99% of the waste generated during construction was recycled.
• Low VOC (volatile organic compound) adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, carpet and wood reduce the level of potentially toxic or harmful organic chemical compounds that can enter the atmosphere as gases or vapor.

Habitat

• Cedar and Douglas fir snags along the waterfront provide staging, feeding and nesting habitat for birds and small animals.
• Native and adapted plants require less water and fertilizers, provide habitat for birds and animals, and protect water quality in Puget Sound.

For more information:

urbanwatersinfo@cityoftacoma.org
(253) 591-5588

Center for Urban Waters Address, Map, and Driving Directions   

The Center for Urban Waters is on the east side of the Thea Foss Waterway, across from downtown Tacoma.

Center for Urban Waters
326 East D Street
Tacoma, WA  98421-1801

Phone: (253) 591-5588
Email: urbanwatersinfo@cityoftacoma.org
 
Center for Urban Waters Map 

Driving Directions

Traveling North on I-5
Take Exit 134 toward Portland Avenue
Stay straight to go onto E 28th Street
Turn left onto E Portland Avenue
Turn slight left onto St. Paul Avenue
Continue on to S 11th Place
Turn right at E D Street
Keep left to stay on E D Street
Center for Urban Waters is on the left

Traveling South on I-5
Take Exit 135 toward Portland Avenue
Ramp becomes E 27th Street
Turn right onto E Portland Avenue
Turn slight left onto St. Paul Avenue
Continue on to S 11th Place
Turn right at E D Street
Keep left to stay on East D Street
Center for Urban Waters is on the left

Background

The Center for Urban Waters was constructed to house the City's Environmental Services analytical laboratories and Science and Engineering Division. These units outgrew their former facilities and were working in temporary trailers. The new facility provides for work efficiencies and improved communication among staff members.    

The Center for Urban Waters leases space for environmental research conducted by the Port of Tacoma Chair and research staff. Dr. Joel Baker, the first Port of Tacoma Chair, is the scientific adviser for the Urban Waters environmental research center.

Information on the development of the Urban Waters environmental research center and the creation of the Port of Tacoma chair is available on the Urban Waters Board's fact sheet.

Project Development

The Center for Urban Waters facility was developed using the "63-20" project delivery method as an alternative to a traditional public works project. Under this method, named for the section of the Internal Revenue Code which permits it, a single-purpose nonprofit corporation was created to sell tax-exempt bonds to fund design and construction of the facility.

The steps in the 63-20 process are described below: 

• Nonprofit facilitator selected by the City, National Development Council (NDC), creates a single-purpose nonprofit corporation, Tacoma Environmental Services (TES) Properties
• TES Properties sells tax-exempt bonds to fund the project
• TES Properties contracts with a developer, Lorig Associates L.L.C., for design and construction of the facility
• City leases facility from TES Properties
• TES Properties contracts for facility maintenance during the lease period
• Facility is turned over to the City at no cost at the end of the lease

 
Tacoma City Council approved the use of the 63-20 project delivery method for this project on June 12, 2007. The City required the contractor to pay prevailing wages and meet the goals of the City's Historically Under-utilized Business Program (HUB), now known as the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program, and Local Employment and Apprenticeship Training Program (LEAP).

Project Team Members

The City leases the building from Tacoma Environmental Services (TES) Properties and subleases space to the UWT and the Partnership. At the end of the lease, ownership will be turned over to the City at no cost.

Nonprofit Facilitator: National Development Council (NDC) -- NDC was selected as the nonprofit facilitator for this project and was responsible for setting up the nonprofit corporation, TES Properties.

Nonprofit: Tacoma Environmental Services (TES) Properties -- TES Properties sold tax-exempt bonds to fund facility design and construction. The City leases the facility from TES Properties.

Developer: Lorig Associates, L.L.C. -- Lorig is the developer selected by TES Properties. Lorig managed development processes, including design and construction.

Architect: Perkins + Will -- Perkins + Will was selected by Lorig through a competitive process to design the facility.   

Contractor: Turner Construction Company -- Turner Construction Company was selected by Lorig through a competitive process to be the general contractor for the facility.

Project Schedule

This project timeline highlights major milestones: