Like many cities across the United States, Tacoma’s Downtown Core faces significant challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of remote work. Reduced demand for traditional office space has led to higher vacancy rates and quieter streets, exacerbating concerns around safety, homelessness, and drug-related issues. These dynamics have discouraged residents and visitors from using downtown for everyday life, impacting both local businesses and the growing number of people who now call downtown home.
Yet Tacoma remains a resilient city – one with a clear, forward-looking vision for urban vibrancy. With a population expected to grow by 55% over the next 15 years, the city is at a pivotal moment of transformation. The City’s “Tacoma 2025” plan outlines a bold ambition: to become “one of the nation’s healthiest, safest, and most playful cities.” Downtown Tacoma is central to that vision. While vacant buildings and business closures have challenged traditional downtown economies, it also represents a unique opportunity to reimagine and activate these spaces in ways that are inclusive, equitable, and rooted in community.
In pursuit of this goal, and to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas and approaches, the City of Tacoma entered into a partnership with BLOXHUB – the Nordic hub for sustainable urbanization based in Copenhagen – with support from the Scan Design Foundation. This collaboration has enabled the city to draw on Nordic expertise in urban transformation and to establish a neutral platform for co-creation between local stakeholders and international experts. Together the partners have worked to identify solutions that can support a more vibrant and people-centered downtown.
City of Tacoma
