Tacoma’s Brewery District Gets New Multifamily Housing Project

A former Urban Land Institute Daniel Rose Fellow, Ricardo Noguera began his career in community and economic development with the Mission Economic Development Association (MEDA) in San Francisco, California. Since then, Ricardo Noguera has helped cities across the United States improve their commercial and residential resources for residents, as seen in his work as a former community economic development director for the City of Tacoma’s Community and Economic Development Department.

In this position, he focused on the revitalization of the city’s Brewery District through investment in new residential development. The historic neighborhood continues its residential-growth trajectory in 2019 in the form of projects like a recently-announced 180-unit apartment building at the corner of South 25th Street and Jefferson Avenue to be known as Jefferson Flats.

The new building will include units of all sizes, from studios to penthouses featuring three bedrooms and patios on the rooftop. The design will also incorporate a three-level parking garage. The announcement of the new multifamily complex comes just five months after the periodical Bisnow published an article highlighting the need for increased housing in the area to accommodate the rising number of students enrolling at the University of Washington Tacoma, which is located in the Brewery District.

Barriers Deter Local Agencies in Supporting Development Activities

With over 27 years of experience in community economic development, Ricardo Noguera, the business development executive of Avenu, has maintained a strong commitment to revitalizing communities across the United States. Ricardo Noguera believes that economic activities are the core of a community, so local agencies should do everything they can to overcome the barriers that deter them from supporting local economic development work.

Mr. Noguera’s extensive work in community economic development has made him familiar these barriers, three of the most common of which are below.

1. Cities have been deemed as monopolies. This mindset tends to make local agencies believe that they should take care of services like park access or the water supply. But economic development requires partnerships with local companies. When a partnership is encouraged, economic development occurs more quickly.

2. Local officials change depending on election results. This makes the local agencies volatile at the level of elected officials. A 20-year plan for economic development may take longer to implement as council members and other officials change.

3. Social media platforms have been used to spread misinformation. Local agencies should count on local stakeholders to make revitalization possible through proactive communication strategies.

Union Landing Center - A Thriving East Bay Retail Location

Ricardo Noguera is a respected business development professional who serves as a client services manager with AVENU in Westlake Village, California, where he pursues coordinated real estate solutions. In the late 1990s, while serving as an economic development coordinator in Union City, California, Ricardo Noguera informed the planning and approval process associated with the retail center Union Landing.

A major retail development that boosted the economic profile of what was a small, blue-collar East Bay residential enclave, Union Landing was planned on 80 acres adjacent to Interstate 880. Once home to a commercial flower farm and a drive-in theater, the site already had a Walmart in the northeast corner of the property.

The ambitious development required negotiating with seven landowners and arranging for tenants such as Sleep Train and Office Max. Envisioned with a 25-screen multiplex (the largest multiplex in Northern California up to that time), the complex was designed around a unified architectural theme.

As Mr. Noguera described it, Union Landing was planned as both a fun family-friendly destination and a substantial revenue source for the city moving into the future. Today, the site continues to thrive as a high-profile retail complex that offers 272,000 square feet of diverse shopping, entertainment, and dining options.

The Importance of Historical Preservation

Over the course of his nearly 30-year career, Ricardo Noguera has served several cities and counties in the states of Florida, California, and Washington. Before assuming his current role in California business development, Ricardo Noguera acted as the community and economic development director of Tacoma, Washington, where his duties included preservation of the city’s historical buildings.

Though much attention is given to new real estate developments erected in community revitalization projects, the preservation of a city’s historical buildings is equally important. Here are three reasons that historical preservation is a valuable tool in community development:

1. Historical buildings add to a community’s identity. Many cities are struggling to maintain the long-held cultural values that make them unique. Historical preservation of buildings can help communities remember and build on their culture, which leads to healthier, more vibrant communities.

2. The restoration of historical buildings can yield economic returns. Preserving and restoring existing buildings is often less expensive than demolishing them and starting from scratch. Historical buildings can also be useful in restoring community pride in crumbling neighborhoods. Historical buildings add character and attract tourists, which boosts local businesses.

3. Certain types of businesses often flourish in historical buildings. While big-box retailers are best served by large, new properties, many small businesses, such as bookstores, art galleries, and pubs, perform better when they are within historical storefronts.