Growing Up the Hill

When the University of Washington Tacoma held its first day of classes on October 1, 1990, nearly 200 students gathered inside the renovated Perkins Building, a former newsroom turned temporary academic home, marking the start of a new era in expanding college access for the South Sound.

It wasn’t until 1997 that UW Tacoma moved to its permanent location along Pacific Avenue, where it proudly sits today — a 46-acre campus comprised of 22 buildings and over a million square feet of usable space.

Since its founding, UW Tacoma has remained a vital part of the community, and its impact has continued to grow. Rooted in modest beginnings and shaped by Tacoma’s historic core, the university is evolving with a focus on transformation and fostering a strong sense of belonging.

As the university celebrates its 35th anniversary, it is keeping an aspirational eye toward the future. The latest version of its campus master plan, a framework that outlines UW Tacoma’s future growth and development, sets the stage for a new chapter filled with promise and possibility.

Envisioning the future of campus

This video highlights key aspects of the campus master plan and offers a glimpse of how UW Tacoma could grow to fill its entire 46-acre footprint, with established campus boundaries stretching from S. 17th Street to S. 21st Street and from Pacific Avenue to Tacoma Avenue.

Before it became UW Tacoma, the historic warehouse district on which the campus is situated had a reputation as a place locals would often avoid.

“This campus has had a massive impact in terms of revitalizing historic structures and really breathing life back into what was essentially a pretty depressed part of downtown,” said Joe Lawless, UW Tacoma’s Chief Strategy Officer, who grew up in Tacoma’s South End and remembers watching the area’s transformation over the years.

The new master plan presents a promising opportunity for the campus to grow up the hill, expand its impact, and provide even more students with access to public higher education.

"Now, our footprint goes all the way up to Tacoma Avenue,” Lawless said. “We need to be thoughtful as we get beyond the historic phase and into the next phase. What does that look like? How do we stay true to our history and have a vision for the future?”

Developed in collaboration with the renowned design firm Bjarke Ingels Group, the master plan outlines the university’s goal of expanding to Tacoma Avenue, creating a larger footprint that seamlessly blends with current facilities. It calls for new outdoor spaces, flexible classrooms and study areas, giving students more places to learn, connect and spend time on campus.

A key part of the plan, Lawless says, is its revitalized campus core, which will feature a new residence hall, dining facilities and social hubs that bring all student activity toward what will become the center of campus.

"Research and student experience both show the same thing—the on-campus living experience matters,” says Mentha Hynes-Wilson, Ed.D., UW Tacoma’s vice chancellor for student affairs. “When students are close to campus resources, everything becomes easier. They connect faster, find support and a sense of belonging sooner, build friendships more naturally, and get involved. And the data is clear: those connections help students persist through to graduation.”

Sylvia James, UW Tacoma’s Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration, said the campus master plan was finalized at a pivotal moment. It sends a clear message that the university aspires to foster a stronger sense of community and maintain an “always open” campus environment.

“Students are the heart of what we do,” she said. “I think we are now symbolically showing people that by putting them central to campus.”

The plan also calls for new academic spaces to support growing programs in areas like biomedical sciences, human services, nursing and healthcare leadership — fields in which local talent needs are expected to grow.

Through the construction of new buildings and the careful preservation and revitalization of existing spaces, the master plan provides a clear path for how UW Tacoma will position itself to grow enrollment to 10,000 students and better respond to community needs.

“Our campus master plan is about more than just buildings. It’s about people, place and purpose,” said Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange. “From the start, our focus has been on creating a plan that reflects the needs and aspirations of our students, faculty and the South Sound community. Together, we have crafted a bold vision for the future — one that expands our footprint and increases our impact across the South Sound.”

This story is part one of a five-part series on the development of UW Tacoma’s new Campus Master Plan. Keep reading to explore how community voices and ideas are shaping the future of campus.