News and notes for this week

A couple items of news and note for this week:

• "Esplanade Litter Patrol" working this Saturday
  On Saturday, February 23 the "Esplanade Litter Patrol" will meet again to clean up the area directly across from our building (between the railroad tracks and Hood Street), as well as the A Street sidewalk leading up to the locomotive sculpture. Meet on Hood Street at 9 a.m.
  
  The group has approximately two dozen members on their mailing list, and their work parties in the last year have been a big success; the neighborhood is much improved by their efforts. For more information, contact Lynn at lynnrdutton@aol.com.

• Recycling may change, and you can vote on it
  In the past several months, the large recycling containers in our upper garage have been rejected for pickup several times, due to inappropriate items being deposited in them. Now, the City of Tacoma is considering changes to its recycling pickup. Read more information HERE, and take the survey HERE.

• New entertainment establishments coming!
  In the last few weeks, there has been a flurry of announcements regarding new bars, restaurants and other entertainment establishments coming to our neighborhood. While there seem to be new places opening on a regular basis, some of the newest ones are significant:
  
  >> Flatstick Pub has very popular locations in South Lake Union and Pioneer Square in Seattle; now they plan to open their largest pub in the old Learning Sprout Toys building on Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. The pub will be two stories, with mini-golf and numerous other games. Read more HERE.
  
  >> Engine House 9, a popular brewery on 6th Ave., will be opening a new 9,000 square foot brewing facility and taproom near the UW Tacoma. Read more HERE.
  
  >> This is a little bit older news and perhaps not as certain, but Topgolf has plans to open one of their enormous "golf amusement parks" next to the Tacoma Dome. Read more HERE.
  
  It should be noted that all of these new openings are within a one-mile radius of the Esplanade - "walking distance" for most people. Also, they are coming fast on the heels of other projects currently in construction, such as the new Marriott next to the convention center, the "Brewery Blocks" development on Commerce, and the "Tacoma Town Center" project on Jefferson Ave. Meanwhile, the UW wants to expand their campus with a new 50,000 square foot business and technology school. Are we seeing a tipping point in the development of downtown Tacoma, and will the boom spread to new projects on the Foss Waterway?