Center for Urban Waters

The Center for Urban Waters (Center) has risen on the banks of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. After several years of planning, the $38 million project was designed and built in a short 18 months. It was completed in March 2010, with a grand opening celebration on September 9, 2010, financed in the leanest of economic times, on time and on budget. The City of Tacoma looked to long-standing partner NDC, and its innovative public-private partnership financing model, to get this critical project built.

The City's vision: a 51,000 square foot state-of-the-art laboratory and research facility, to be constructed using environmentally sensitive building practices, housing the City's Environmental Services Division, the University of Washington Tacoma's research labs, and the Puget Sound Partnership. To get the project financed, the City turned to NDC and NDC Director John Finke, who structured 63-20 bond financing using NDC's public-private financing partnership model. NDC, through NDC Housing and Economic Development Corporation (HEDC), its development arm, created Tacoma Environmental Services (TES) Properties, a single-purpose, non-profit corporation, to sell tax-exempt 63-20 bonds to fund the project. With financing in hand, TES Properties partnered with private developer Lorig Associates L.L.C. (Lorig) to design and construct the facility using its streamlined private sector development timeline.

The City not only preserved its scarce financial resources but also saved staff time and reduced its risk of exposure through its partnership with TES Properties and Lorig, who assumed the construction risk and oversaw the architect, Perkins+Will, and contractor, Turner Construction Company. TES Properties owns and manages the facility, leasing the building to the City for the length of the financing term. Upon retirement of the bonds, the Center reverts to the City's ownership at no additional cost.

The Center also showcases the City's commitment to the fragile Puget Sound ecosystem along with energy efficiency and sustainable building practices. The building has been designed to achieve Platinum Certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. The highest level of green design strategies, including natural ventilation, sun shading on the south and west facades, ground source heat exchange, vegetated roofs, storm water collection and water reuse, incorporation of recycled materials and responsible waste management, and low-odor paints, make this building earth and people friendly.