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Tacoma’s Time Has Come
by John Lund
Washington’s ‘city of destiny’ finally becomes boater friendly
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There is something big and exciting going on in Tacoma that Northwest boaters should know about. It’s called the Thea Foss Waterway Development Project.
Until now, Tacoma, known from its early days as “the City of Destiny,” has not been one of Puget Sound’s most popular boating destinations -- but that is about to change.
Thea Foss Waterway is the epicenter of a $150-million project that is turning a rundown industrial district and an underused waterway into a revitalized downtown core. Now, Northwest boaters can dock in the middle of a vital urban landscape surrounded by some of the most exciting cultural, educational and artistic attractions to be found in Puget Sound.
Already in place beside the waterway is the colorful 500-foot Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a pedestrian walkway that leads to the Museum of Glass and its distinctive 90-foot steel “beehive burner” tower. The sweeping plaza in front of the Museum of Glass is home to an amazing collection of outdoor art.
Nearby, the round shapes of Union Station now house a federal courthouse. Adjacent to it is the Washington State History Museum.
The new home of the Tacoma Art Museum is nearby. Across the street is the campus of the University of Washington, Tacoma and a row of chic restaurants, shops and galleries.
A newly completed scenic walkway -- the Waterway Esplanade -- runs from the Museum District to Thea’s Park, where it connects to Ruston Way. At a total length of 7.5 miles, the two paths combine to make the longest waterside walkway in the nation, running all the way to Point Defiance Park. This path is great for walking, biking and rollerblading -- and you can stop at a variety of parks, play areas, outdoor art displays, pavilions, public piers, restaurants and marinas along the way.
Looking east from the Museum of Glass Plaza gives you an incredible view of Mount Rainier. On the hill to the south, you can see the Tacoma Dome.
Tacoma Link runs a light rail line from the Dome to downtown Tacoma’s historic Theater District. There’s a stop in front of Union Station, and the service is free.
When we visited last summer, the historic Albers Brothers Mill building beside the Museum of Glass was in the process of being restored. The new site will house a combination of residences and retail establishments, along with a structure that has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.
Still to open along the waterway are the Pioneer Motorcycle Museum and the Harold E. LeMay Vintage Car Museum, both set for completion in 2005.
All this adds up to one exciting place to visit -- and the good news for boaters wishing to explore the revitalized Thea Foss Waterway is the fact that the new 70-slip Albers Wharf & Marina, located in front of the Albers building and the Glass Museum, will be open for business in August. The marina will be able to handle up to 33 visiting boats a day. The Foss Waterway Development Authority will manage the marina slips.
In addition, Thea Foss Waterway has other marinas (also being renovated) where visitors can moor. Here’s what you need to know about boating to Foss Waterway:
Getting to Thea Foss Waterway
You won’t have any trouble finding Commencement Bay, Tacoma and ultimately, Thea Foss Waterway.
Tacoma is either the second largest or the largest seaport in Puget Sound, depending on whether you are talking to someone from Tacoma or from Seattle. Anyway, the port is BIG -- really big -- and located on eight dredged waterways at the mouth of the Puyallup River.
Simply head south across Commencement Bay toward the Tacoma shoreline. Follow it southeast all the way to Thea Foss Waterway, the southernmost waterway. NOAA Chart #18453, covering Tacoma Harbor, will make the cruising easier.
Thea Foss Waterway is now in the final stages of completing an environmental cleanup from end to end -- including dredging and installation of new docks, according to the city’s master plan for the waterway. With that in mind, moorage in the downtown area may be a bit of a movable feast for the 2004 boating season, but Foss Waterway Development Authority executive director Don Meyer assured us that they will do everything they can to meet the needs of Northwest boaters for this season and the future.
Albers Wharf & Marina
Thea Foss Waterway begins at its north end, with Thea’s Park, and runs inland 1.5 miles toward the Tacoma Dome at its head.
The Museum of Glass has a distinctive steel clad tower designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson to look like a wood burner from the Northwest forest industry’s early days. Albers Marina is located in front of it. Be sure to call to confirm that the marina has available moorage.
According to Meyer, the new marina will have up to 33 guest slips, with the remainder being permanent moorage.
“We’re in the process of building a first-class facility for the boating public. It’s really exciting to be able to create a brand-new destination for Northwest boaters,” Meyer said.
Johnny’s Dock Restaurant & Marina
A short hop across the waterway to the east is the regionally famous Johnny’s Dock Restaurant & Marina. The restaurant has been serving great seafood at this spot since 1955.
You’ll find 40 permanent slips and a 90-foot dock for restaurant patrons to use while stopping for lunch or dinner, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Foss Landing & Marina
Foss Landing & Marina, located next to Johnny’s, is a new business that mainly specializes in dryland boat storage.
According to general manager Tim Curry, the facility also has 880 feet of staging dock, portions of which will be made available for visitor’s moorage during the 2004 boating season. The docks have water, 30- and 50-amp power, telephone and cable hook-ups.
Foss Waterway Marina
The 485-slip Foss Waterway Marina (formerly Totem Marina) is located a quarter mile north of the Museum of Glass. It can accommodate about six visiting boats per day.
The docks have water hookups, and 20- and 30-amp power. Restrooms, showers, a laundry and a pumpout station are nearby. The facility has full marine service capabilities and a boat launch that can handle vessels up to 20 tons.
When we visited Foss Waterway Marina, we learned that the Foss Waterway Development Authority had recently acquired it and was already at work dredging and renovating the docks. According to marina staff, all docks will be replaced over the next few years and will feature the very latest in service equipment throughout.
Totem Fuel Dock is located across the waterway from Foss Waterway Marina. It offers gasoline, diesel, oil, bait, ice and confections.
That covers the moorage options on Thea Foss Waterway (for now); however, there are other possibilities for boaters at Commencement Bay. To get to Foss Waterway from Commencement Bay, you would need to pay a taxi fare or take a ride on the public transit system. The latter is so good that, if moorage isn’t available on Foss Waterway, we recommend you hop on the #11 bus and ride it to Foss Waterway -- and you can see the town of Tacoma on the way.
Breakwater Marina
Toward Point Defiance, hidden behind a small hook of land where Tacoma Yacht Club’s octagonal building sits, you’ll find Breakwater Marina, across from Point Defiance Park.
While the marina mostly offers permanent moorage, it can accommodate about four boats a day during the summer. The marina has a fuel dock, and it is near a three-lane boat ramp.
Nearby Tacoma Yacht Club accepts visiting boats from yacht clubs with reciprocal agreements.
Chinook Landing Marina
If, by chance, all the berths on the south side of Commencement Bay are filled, head over to Hylebos Waterway -- the northernmost waterway near the Port of Tacoma -- to find Chinook Landing Marina. The marina has 430 feet of guest moorage and is a first-class facility in every regard.
Marina staff members will be pleased to arrange transportation to Thea Foss Waterway for you.
Thea Foss Waterway Attractions
On the “must-see” list are the Museum of Glass, an international center of contemporary art where you can see artists create works from molten glass, view different shows, take in a lecture or have lunch on the deck at the Prizm Café.
The Washington State History Museum is another must. The family could easily spend half a day perusing the exhibits.
To get to the History Museum from the Museum of Glass, you must cross the 500-foot Chihuly Bridge of Glass. This walkway honors the work of Tacoma’s native son, Dale Chihuly, whose glass artistry has earned him international acclaim.
The bridge stretches over railroad tracks and Highway 705. Its ceiling is called the Seaform Pavilion, which consists of hundreds of colorful glass pieces resembling sea creatures.
The Venetian Wall of the bridge contains large blown glass vases of nearly every color and shape. Outside, two towers of blue glass, called the Crystal Towers, both reflect and absorb sunlight at the same time, seeming to give them a life of their own.
There was a wedding under way when we visited the Union Station building, which has been transformed into a federal courthouse. Here too, more Chihuly glass pieces are on display.
At the entrance is a bronze statue of a traveler who has been waiting anxiously for a train that (for him, at least) never arrives. In reality, Tacoma Link’s rail cars stop here every 10 minutes.
They can whisk you downtown to Tacoma’s Theater District in 10 minutes. Here, you can find some beautiful examples of 1800s architecture -- and shopping of every variety, including an Antique Row.
Across Pacific Avenue is the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington. The bookstore has a great selection of Husky logo wear -- and there’s a Starbucks coffeehouse next door. The row of restored late 1800s buildings here house trendy shops, art galleries and restaurants.
If there is a sports event going on at the Tacoma Dome, you could hop on the Tacoma Link and be there in five minutes.
Happy Trails
After you’ve had all the culture and education you can handle for one day, it’s time to head out on the Thea Foss Waterway Esplanade for some exercise, fresh air and a long list of spots to take in along the way. The 7.5-mile combination of the Esplanade and Ruston Way trails might be one of the best reasons we have seen to carry bicycles on board.
Our favorite spots include the Working Waterfront Museum, Tacoma’s Fireboat No. 1 and the Les Davis Pier -- followed by “Restaurant Row,” in front of the Old Town District on the Ruston Way portion of the promenade. Here you will find whatever you might be looking for, in the way of dining options.
Then, you’ll want to move on to Point Defiance Park, one of the 20 largest urban parks in the United States. The 696-acre park attracts 2 million people each year. Natural forest, great beaches and views -- plus, lots of recreational, educational and natural sites -- make this a fun destination for the whole family.
Across from the Park is the Vashon Ferry Dock, a boat ramp, Boathouse Marina at Point Defiance and Anthony’s Restaurant at Point Defiance, in case you need to bulk up for the journey back to Foss Waterway.
The Thea Foss Waterway Development was created thanks to the vision of a group of Tacoma planners, who in the early 1990s decided that the city needed a new future -- one that invites Northwest boaters to share in a destiny reborn. We think they have succeeded.
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This article first appeared in the July 1, 2004 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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