Population
Tacoma's downtown is well situated to serve south King County and Pierce County, areas representing 884,900 people within a fifteen-mile radius. This population is expected to expand by 11% (to 981,200) within the next five years.

Access
Access to Tacoma's city center is more convenient than to almost any other Puget Sound commercial location. Two freeways (I-705 and SR-509), a well-developed surface street network, and soon-to-be-instituted light rail service (the first segment in the regional system) offer excellent mobility today and for the future.

Income/Spending
Average annual household income in the Tacoma market area is $48,717. Total retail sales in the downtown area in 1998 were over $101 million.

Lease Rates
Commercial lease rates are currently running from $14 to $20 per square foot for existing space and $26 to $28 per square foot for new Class ‘A' space, fully serviced. This is significantly lower than rates charged in major markets within the region, and there is a continuing upward pressure on prices.

More than 918,000 square feet of Class ‘A' office space is located in the city center area with a 97% occupancy rate. A recent market study by the Chesapeake Group projects demand for an additional 750,000 to 1 million square feet (in all classes of use) over the next ten to twelve years.

70% of Pierce County's currently constructed office space is located in downtown Tacoma.

The Local Development Council is a private non-profit corporation that manages the 84-block business improvement area (BIA). Services provided by the BIA include common area maintenance, security, and leasing assistance.