Main Street, economic vitality focuses of downtown Gig Harbor

Paul Kadzik

special to the Gateway

Last October, I wrote a similar column that asked questions about what was happening in downtown Gig Harbor.

At the time I voiced my concern that, in spite of all the wonderful events that had occurred downtown that past summer, the area was gradually losing its vibrancy.

My pessimism was brought on by a bittersweet Sunday evening that my wife and I shared at The Harbor Inn’s “last call.” Since then, my outlook for the future of our downtown and historic waterfront has markedly improved.

Here’s an update on what’s happening in downtown Gig Harbor:

Main Street

For more than a year, a group of dedicated people have been working to establish a waterfront organization using the Main Street Approach. The result is the formation of the Gig Harbor Historic Waterfront Association, whose goal is to facilitate historic preservation and economic sustainability in our waterfront.

The organization will be funded by grants from the city, from member dues and from private and business donations.

To date, GHHWA has established a dedicated and talented Board of Directors; is interviewing for an Executive Director position; has applied for Washington State-recognized Main Street status; and is well on its way to meeting its funding goals.

It has conducted a parking survey using community volunteers; has scheduled a Business Activity Forum for historic waterfront business; and is about to embark on a membership campaign.

I am very optimistic that GHHWA will be able to provide the leadership that the waterfront district needs to both preserve our historic character and provide the mix of businesses that will sustain our vitality.

Skansi Ad Hoc Committee

In March, the city formed a committee of interested citizens with the purpose of evaluating Skanski Brothers Park. The mission of the group is to recommend ways to preserve the park as an authentic historic site that depicts and respects our fishing family heritage while allowing and encouraging community use.

The group is exploring opportunities to improve historic waterfront commerce, re-establish the site as a portal between the water and the land, and yet protect its sensitive environmental and historical aspects.

Our hopes are that this committee will come up with innovative ways to use, but not abuse, the park, and that it will recommend aesthetic and practical improvements, which will enhance the Gig Harbor waterfront experience.

Judson/Harborview workgroup

This recently formed group will explore a different aspect of the downtown/waterfront district. There are much-needed improvements to water, sewer and storm drainage infrastructure, which the city will be making in the near future on Harborview Drive.

We feel it would make sense to undertake much-needed streetscape improvements, as well.

The scope of the project is the downtown quadrangle and Harborview Drive to Donkey Creek Park. All ideas are up for discussion, and the city is expecting input about items as varied as parking, traffic flow, undergrounding of utilities, street furniture, sidewalk and street width, and bicycle lanes, just to name a few.

The mission of, and challenge to, this group is to come up with a plan that will make the downtown/waterfront more user-friendly, more accessible and more aesthetic, yet retain the eclectic and quirky charm that makes it so unique.

A pretty but sterile “new” streetscape is not an option.

Downtown business plan

The city has engaged a consultant to work with a yet-to-be-selected steering committee to develop a business strategy for downtown.

The goal of the committee will be to explore ways of leveraging our strengths to find new market opportunities for existing businesses and to broaden our economic base by recruiting new businesses. It will also explore ways that downtown businesses can compete with other commercial areas of the city and in the region.

Although the focus of the plan will be our traditional downtown area, the study will also include the Finholm District. It is my expectation that GHHWA will be involved with this strategic plan from its inception and will be instrumental in its implementation.

A common theme among all these organizations and plans is the desire and mandate to preserve what we have. The city recognizes that we cannot stand still and ignore the economic realities of our downtown, but at the same time, we have no intention of endorsing economic development at the cost of the heart and soul of our city.

All of the above activities have multiple opportunities for citizen participation. We encourage you to find out more about how you can become involved by visiting www.cityofgigharbor.net and watching for meeting notices in the Gateway.

All meetings are open to the public, and input is encouraged.

Paul Kadzik is a member of the Gig Harbor City Council. He served for more than a decade on the Gig Harbor Planning Commission, nine years as chair. He can be reached at kadzikp@cityofgigharbor.net.