Tacoma City Council placed the Cushman and Adams Substations on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places in 2017. In 2018, a City Council resolution directed the City to engage the community on the future redevelopment of these historic properties. These efforts were paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the City restarted the project and will conduct community engagement activities through the summer and fall.
Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) is still actively using and maintaining the building and site, and plans to vacate and surplus it by 2027 following construction of an off-site replacement facility.
Learn more and share your feedback at our online engagement platform!
Important Workshop Events—We Want Your Input!
VISIONING—Public Workshop Sessions
When: Saturday, June 22 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM and from 3 PM – 4:30 PM (two workshop sessions to choose from)
Where: Wheelock Library, 3722 North 26th Street
Description: Join staff from the City of Tacoma and consultant team Otak to share your VISION for the future of Cushman and Adams Substations sites and buildings! Learn about what the Future Use Study is, discuss ideas for the future, and hear about how we will use community feedback and other information to inform the creation of future SCENARIOS. Choose from two workshop times depending on what is most convenient for you.
Future Workshops to Come:
Discover Cushman – Historic Cushman Street Fair
SCENARIOS—Public Workshop Sessions
- When: October, date TBD
- Where: TBD
And find project staff at the Broadway Farmers Market, Eastside Farmers Market, and Proctor Farmers Market and other community events over the summer and fall!
- Share your feedback via our VISIONING survey! As we launch the VISIONING phase of the project, we want to hear about what matters most to you for the future of the Cushman and Adams Substation sites. This survey builds on past feedback we’ve heard from the community and will help inform the SCENARIOS that we study in the next phase of the project.
- Join our mailing list to stay informed throughout the process! Email project staff to receive updates and learn about engagement opportunities.
Learn more about the Future Use Study project goals and timeline:
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The study process will extend through the first quarter of 2025 with public engagement activities in the Summer and Fall of 2024 around the “VISIONING” and “SCENARIOS” stages of the study. The chart below provides more detail.
Background and History
Located at the intersection of North 21st Street and North Adams Street, the Cushman and Adams Substations were built in the mid-1920s to bring electricity from Cushman Dam to Tacoma. For many years, the substations served as active parts of the electric system. The substations are distinctive features in the neighborhood and notable assets to the city as a whole. Learn more about the Cushman Hydro Project.