Tacoma unveils art and placemaking plan for Tacoma Mall neighborhood

Rebecca Solverson, division manager for Arts and Cultural Vitality in Tacoma’s Community and Economic Development department, briefed the City Council on a new Tacoma Mall Art and Placemaking Plan designed to guide cultural investments in the regional growth center over the next 10 to 15 years.

The plan, funded through the city’s 1% for Art program and developed with external consultants, maps 17 specific opportunities across the neighborhood and recommends “integrated” art interventions that pair public art with transportation, parks and private development projects, Solverson said.

“This plan was funded for our 1% for art program in partnership with program services,” Solverson said. “The goal of the plan was to create a vision and roadmap for art and culture interventions to support the growth of the neighborhood over the next 10 to 15 years.”

Why it matters: The Tacoma Mall area is one of two regional growth centers in the city but lacks many public amenities, residents and some council members told staff during the briefing. The plan is intended to help the neighborhood keep pace with rapid development by guiding public art investments that also create gathering places, improve safety and address accessibility gaps.

Key findings and priorities

- Current conditions: Staff said the…