If you want to assess the power of partnership in getting things done, look no further than the Central Neighborhood Council. This group has mastered the art of working in cooperation with other groups and organizations to bring about positive changes in their neighborhood.
This is no more evident than in the Council's efforts to reclaim the park at Sheridan and 25th Street. Once under the control of drug lords and gang members, the park become (sic) a rallying point for the neighborhood. The people wanted their park back. And they got it, by teaming up with a host of other community organizations, including the Tacoma Police
Department, the Hilltop Action Coalition, Metro Parks, Pierce Transit and Safe Streets. Working together with these groups they were able to drive out the gangs and give the park back to the people, especially the neighborhood children. They used a portion of their Building Tacoma Together bond funds and Small Innovative Grants to double the park's size and install new playground equipment. They also added additional lighting and made the park and its picnic tables accessible to the handicapped.
Their success at partnering won the Council national acclaim, when it was awarded an honorable mention in the Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) Neighbor of the Year competition."
- Our stories, Our times: A Retrospective Of Achievements (1999)
Central Neighborhood Council Profile
Web site: www.cnc-tacoma.com
Location
The Central Neighborhood Council area contains roughly 9% of Tacoma’s land area. It is located above downtown on its east side border which runs along "L" Street from 6th to 19th St., along 19th St. east to Tacoma Ave., and south along Tacoma Ave. to Center St. Its southern boundary goes along Center St. and SR 16. It is exclusively bounded by SR 16 to the west. The northern boundary is 6th Ave. from SR 16 to "L" St. This neighborhood council includes most of the following neighborhood areas: Bryant, Stanley, McCarver, Franklin, Allenmore, Bellarmine, 12th and Proctor, Delong and Foss.
History
The Central area’s early settlement includes the Judson farm followed by development beginning with incorporation of "New Tacoma" in 1881 with remaining areas annexed in 1884. Residential areas began to emerge in "New Tacoma" on the bluff overlooking the downtown. Development continued along transportation routes. These were 6th and South 11th to Pearl St. from downtown that were streetcar routes. Commercial areas particularly began to grow along the Martin Luther King Jr. Way and along 6th Ave. An area of manufacturing along Center St. was also well established by the early 1900’s.
People
The Central area is home to 21,200 residents or about 11% of Tacoma’s population. The area largely developed early in Tacoma’s history. Today there is a rich sense of community and neighborhood connections that stems from having a highly diverse community representing all ethnic and racial groups found in the city. Other interesting facts about people in the Central area are:
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30.7% of residents are under the age of 20
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15.7% of residents are age 65 or over
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35.3% of residents are of minority descent
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29.1% of adults have post-secondary education
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20% of adults have jobs in professional occupations
Land Use
The Central area contains roughly 9% of Tacoma’s land area with 2,663 acres. It is primarily a residential district and includes multi-family housing. Fully 35% of land use is for residential development. This is above the 31% city average. Some other notable facts about development in the Central area are:
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Residential development uses 931 acres or 35.3%
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Commercial development uses 146 acres or 5.6%
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Industrial development uses 65 acres or 2.5%
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Vacant land still accounts for 232 acres or 8.8%
Community Facilities
A wide variety of community facilities serve the Central area. These are usually public developments, however, some are private. Many of the schools in the area offer additional facilities for neighborhood use. Some of the prominent community facilities include:
Library
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Branch
Tacoma Public Library
902 South Cedar Street
Recreation Center
Al Davies Boys & Girls Club
of Tacoma/Pierce County
1620 South 17th Street
Public Schools
Bryant Elementary School, 717 South Grant Avenue
Delong Elementary School, 1201 Moorlands Drive
Franklin Elementary School, 1402 South Lawrence Street
McCarver Elementary School, 2111 South "J" Street
Stanley Elementary School, 1712 South 17th Street
Henry Foss High School, 2112 South Tyler Street
Private School
Bellarmine Preparatory, 2300 South Washington Street
University
Evergreen State College, Tacoma Campus, 1202 South Martin Luther King Jr. Way
*Profile information was taken from the Central Neighborhood Council Action Strategy adopted Spring 2001.
E-mail contact for this page: Rob McNair-Huff 