March 20, 2020
The city is excited to announce that the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County recently named Colonial Plaza as one of its Excellent 10 projects. The announcement was made during the EDB’s annual meeting on March 5, 2020 at the Tacoma Convention Center.
Colonial Plaza was recognized because of its public space elements and its function as a catalyst for redevelopment in the city’s downtown area. Already several new businesses have opened in the Colonial District, including Cohen Veteran’s Clinic, the Lakewood Historical Society expanded its museum to the former site of the Terrace Restaurant next to the Lakewood Theatre and the city will host its first-ever Night Market in 2020 at the plaza.
The city was also mentioned in a second Excellent 10 award given to Cutting Edge Meats, a minority-owned business that recently expanded into Lakewood after outgrowing its former location. The city of Lakewood and EDB jumped in to help Cutting Edge Meats find its new home in the city so that the USDA-certified food processor of meat, poultry and seafood products could maintain its presence in Pierce County.
The Excellent 10 is a list of 10 great economic development projects in Pierce County that were worked on or completed between January and December of the previous year. The projects can vary from industrial and office expansions, to educational facilities and sewer infrastructure, or even hospitals to museums.
The Board evaluates projects that are key drivers of jobs, capital investment, or other important community development in our region.