2025 Master Plan final draft expands the future of UW Tacoma

The University of Washington Tacoma is working with Bjarke Ingels Group on a framework for the Campus Master Plan which includes major improvements on campus design, infrastructure and environmental sustainability efforts.

By Elissa Blankenship

The University of Washington Tacoma released its final draft of the 2025 Campus Master Plan on March 17 which aims to strengthen the campus’ role within the diverse Tacoma community through infrastructure enhancements and urban growth. 

The plan was prepared by Bjarke Ingels Group, Olin Partnership Limited and Tahoma Peak Solutions and features development planning, an analysis of existing conditions and growth projections for the campus. 

The plan features program analysis of existing campus assets and future needs, an expansion of student services, amenities and information on design principles. It shows computer-generated photos of the design principles, corridors, development sites or utilities and infrastructure, along with changes to parking and sustainability efforts. Key objectives include creating partnerships with local communities and government agencies and developing a resilient, adaptable structure that aligns with the university’s goals for environmental stewardship and long-term academic research. 

“As of 2025, the uphill parcels owned by UW Tacoma remain largely vacant, with much of the land currently used for surface parking, sloped green areas, or left undeveloped as vacant lots. South 19th Street remains intact between Tacoma Avenue and Jefferson Avenue, continuing to divide the campus into northern and southern zones,” the analysis of existing campus conditions reads. 

The Executive Summary states that the framework is guided by the UW Tacoma 2022-2027 Strategic Plan which influences financial, academic and operational decisions and projects a need for 10,000 Full Time Equivalent (FTEs). The project is built on values of access, community, diversity, excellence and innovation, according to the official master plan document.  

The master plan also shows strategic priorities, placing students first, with communities, scholarship, equity and vitality shaping its development. Other factors are housing, mobility around campus, environmental sustainability and reinforcing the role as a catalyst for regional growth in Tacoma, which the university hopes will promote institutional vitality and community engagement. 

“The Campus Master Plan is built upon prior planning efforts but responds to new challenges, including limited developable land, increased student housing demand, and the need for modernized learning spaces. Through this process, UW Tacoma ensures that its campus remains future-ready, sustainable, and deeply connected to its surrounding community,” the executive summary reads. 

The first graphic features a view of the W at the top of the stairs, which some students said previously felt like the heart of campus at a community feedback event previously covered by The Ledger in December. The image shows a major shift in landscape and typography with additional buildings added and more trees with a wide concrete stairway and accessibility ramp for both wheelchair users and bicyclists. 

Another illustration features a micromobility center with a walkway, seating, bike path, additional tree coverage, flowers and foliage, including bushes and trees planted on buildings with multiple floors and high-rise patios to create somewhat green roofs. This would provide another open space for on-campus events and more vegetation for the campus inhabitants to enjoy, whether human or animal like the campus wildlife such as its resident birds and wild rabbits. 

Following a path toward environmental sustainability is UW’s future, as is innovation. Another illustration shows a long-term vision for a multimodal corridor for a UW trolly route, bicyclists, pedestrians and on-campus vehicles to park to do maintenance or offer food and beverages. 

The corridor would run up the hill and extend the campus with additional proposed buildings, shifting the heart of campus more toward Jefferson Avenue and the Swiss Hall, which will be adapted and reused, considering it is a historic structure in the downtown Tacoma community.  

This will eventually make Jefferson Avenue to South 19th Street from Tacoma Avenue into a corridor for community events with added tree canopy, grass and ground foliage. 

Market street would remain open for vehicle traffic with crosswalks and Fawcett Avenue, while Court E and Court D would be closed to pedestrians and bicyclists only. 

The main path would veer off from the Whitney building towards the intersection of Tacoma Avenue and South 17th Street, featuring a courtyard-type area with a ball court and grassy locations for picnics and walking dogs or children around the campus. This means the Whitney parking lot would be removed and instead parking for students and other UWT commuters would be handled differently. 

In addition, the Tioga parking lot would be a primary location for two new proposed developments, which would be 4 and 5 story buildings, excluding any floors for parking on the lower levels. Two new buildings at 3 and 5 stories would be placed across from the Swiss Hall and Dougan buildings. The campus would then continue to expand with 14 additional buildings in the upper vacant lots, according to page 167 of the master plan. 

“Parking will be concentrated along Market Street, the main vehicular corridor. To maintain an active streetscape, parking structures will be tucked behind ground-floor activated spaces, with only minimal openings for parking entrances to preserve street-level vibrancy. Beyond Market Street, integrated parking is also proposed near existing and retained parking facilities, accessible via Broadway and Court B, to minimize disruption to the Pedestrian Courts,” page 163 reads.  

The master plan also recommends providing approximately 1,680 parking spaces, excluding on-street parking. This results in a parking ratio of 17% parking spaces per student FTE, coupled with the integration of 12% of the student FTE of around 1,200 students using on-campus housing. 

The parking spaces would be integrated into lower floors of buildings and the terrain would be leveraged specifically to create semi-basement parking. 

“If further analysis indicates a need for additional parking, programmatic adjustments could allow for the development of a dedicated parking garage along South 21st Street or South 19th Street.” 

There is nothing written about any plans for parking garage safety or accessibility measures yet, however, escorts are always available from campus safety officers to your car if you call the office. 

There was no mention of a Husky Card system to limit parking to students and faculty or staff only like what Court 17 once had, rather than competing with the public or campus visitors for parking. 

If anyone wishes to see updates on the master plan or ask questions, you can find more information at the next town hall on June 3 or view the recording on UWT’s Town Halls & Campus Updates page published on the Office of the Chancellor website.