Parcel 14 Cleanup and Redevelopment Project - Maximizing Positive Impacts for Multiple Parties

Abstract: The Parcel 14 Cleanup and Redevelopment Project is a multipurpose redevelopment located on 112 acres within the Port of Tacoma and the Puyallup Reservation. The redevelopment work supports three different sets of community objectives. Area A was restored to wetland and riparian uses as part of the Lower Wapato Creek Habitat Restoration, conducted in partnership with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. A high-tech regional logistics center was developed in Area B. The third portion of the property, Area C, was developed for construction of a future highway interchange connecting Highway 167 with Highway 509.

The Parcel 14 project was planned and implemented consistent with the Port’s Strategic Plan, which prioritizes environmental stewardship, economic vitality, and community connections. The redevelopment activities performed directly reflect three of the Plan’s outlined priorities: Environmental Leadership (habitat restoration), Economic Vitality (regional logistics center), and Community Connections (Highway 167 interchange).

The Parcel 14 project was shaped to maximize its positive impacts across a range of metrics:

• Tribal, community, and stakeholder engagement—the entire cleanup and redevelopment project involved extensive outreach with the Puyallup Tribe, the local community, and project stakeholders.
• Habitat restoration—habitat restoration activities in Area A restored more than 10 acres of wetland and 8.5 acres of forested riparian habitat along Wapato Creek. Obstructions to fish passage were removed, opening connectivity for fish and wildlife between the lower and upper portions of Wapato Creek that had been obstructed for decades. These activities support the Puyallup Tribe’s goal to re-establish salmon within the Wapato Creek watershed.
• Environmental justice—the project completed the cleanup and redevelopment of the 112-acre property within an area identified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) EJScreen tool as in the top 20 percentile for indicators of socioeconomic disparity. The cleanup included work to go over and above minimum state requirements, with the habitat restoration area remediated to levels consistent with natural background conditions.
• Water quality protection—water quality was prioritized throughout the project. During cleanup, all contaminated soil removals were conducted using zero discharge techniques, preventing discharges to nearby surface waters. State-of-the-art stormwater planning was integrated into development of both the regional logistics center and Highway 167 interchange. Restoring natural conditions within the habitat restoration area helped re-establish natural functions to enhance and protect water quality within Wapato Creek.
• Job creation—the regional logistics center directly created more than 1,800 family-wage jobs for members of the local community.
• Sustainable design—the buildings of the regional logistics center were developed using Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. Building D was the first logistics facility in the world to be awarded the WELL Certification by the International WELL Building Institute.
• Realization of regional transportation plans—dedicating portions of the property to the Highway 167 interchange project directly supports completion of a long-needed regional transportation connection between the Port industrial area and the regional highway system.

This project was presented with a Phoenix Award at the EPA’s National Brownfields Conference in 2023.

How does this project / topic contribute to the advancement of the industry and profession?: Parcel 14 demonstrates how a brownfield or contaminated site can become a focal point for community and environment while supporting regional transportation, commerce, and job creation. The project resulted in significant cost savings and has helped strengthen alliances among the Port, the community, and the Puyallup Tribe.

Does the project / topic implement new and innovative techniques, materials, technologies, and delivery methods?: Yes, the project was able to maximize positive impacts for several project teams’ goals, including using triple bottom line planning, going above and beyond with community engagement for project planning and design, implementing phased remediation for enhanced environmental protection, employing beneficial reuse of overburden soils as fill on nearby properties, and incorporating sustainable design strategies.

What was the most challenging aspect of your project / topic and how did you handle it to ensure success?: The project had a very aggressive timeline that required cleanup decisions to be conducted while in the field during construction, resulting in completed construction meeting regulatory and development-driven project timelines. Also challenging was developing a redevelopment plan that satisfied Port goals as well as tribal, community, and regulatory factors in a timely manner to generate consensus on the redevelopment plan and deliver the project on time and on budget.

Who is the target audience for this paper?: The target audience is port environmental managers, consultants, and regulatory agencies.