The City of Ruston and the Point Ruston development have reached a tentative agreement for addressing permitting activities at the Point Ruston development with the assistance of the City of Tacoma.
The agreement creates a collaborative process between Tacoma and Ruston for permit review in the portions of the Point Ruston development within the City of Ruston, which will result in streamlined permit processing and greater consistency across the project.
The waterfront condominiums, apartments, entertainment, shopping and dining options at Point Ruston represent over one billion dollars in private economic investment, making Point Ruston one of the largest privately funded projects in Pierce County history.
(Left to Right): Loren Cohen, Principal, MC Construction Consultants; Bruce Hopkins, Mayor, City of Ruston; Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive; Victoria Woodards, Mayor, City of Tacoma; Elizabeth Pauli, Tacoma City Manager.
“This partnership allows the Point Ruston project to move forward and results in significant benefits for the residents of Ruston,” said Mayor Bruce Hopkins.
“We are grateful for the leadership that has helped ensure Point Ruston can finish its transformation from a former smelter to a positive community amenity that benefits the entire region. For the residents of Point Ruston, the businesses that are located there, our neighbors and this whole community, we’re ready to get to work,” said Point Ruston developer Loren Cohen.
Point Ruston has quickly become a popular community gathering space. It hosts a wide range of activities for individuals and families from trivia nights to blood drives, 5K races and birding classes. Once one of the largest successful environmental clean-ups in the nation, the Point Ruston neighborhood and waterfront community highlights the beautiful natural environment that makes Pierce County a desirable place to live, work and raise a family.
“I have great confidence in the collaborative process that we have put in place to guide future development at Point Ruston. I’m glad Tacoma could assist Ruston and Point Ruston in completing this regional destination project,” said City of Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards.
U.S. Congressman Derek Kilmer was instrumental to bringing everyone to the table. “I am pleased that there is now a clear path forward, and I am hopeful this represents a new chapter of folks working together. I commend everyone who helped reach this consensus, including the cities, developer and the county executive. If our community follows the path they charted, we will fully reclaim what was once a hazardous waste site and reimagine it into a great addition to our community that leads to new jobs and new businesses,” Kilmer said.
Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier led negotiations between the parties. “I’m encouraged by the agreement reached by all of the parties involved in the continued development of Point Ruston,” said Dammeier. “When completed, Point Ruston and the upgraded Point Defiance Park will be an incredible place for local families and visitors alike.”
The negotiating parties signed the terms of the agreements in Executive Dammeier’s office earlier today with the expectation that the agreements will be ratified by each city’s council at their regularly scheduled council meetings on Tuesday, February 6.