Hillside Terrace Development
The Hillside Terrace apartment complex began as a private development in 1969, with 165 apartments divided into four different blocks along South G Street: 1500, 1800, 2300, and 2500.
Tacoma Housing Authority acquired Hillside Terrace Apartments for a nominal price in 1976, as an accommodation to HUD. An initial rehabilitation between 1978 and 1980 included modifications to the rooflines, removing some units, removing one story from others, and changing interior partitions, leaving 159 units as of 2002.
After a series of renovations and new developments over the next 20 years, Hillside Terrace today includes more than 250 units, with each block featuring a unique mix of housing while offering new opportunity and modern amenities for residents.
2300 Block
In 1996, THA began working on what became a two-phase revitalization project that would redevelop Hillside Terrace’s 2300 block. After a series of meetings with residents and developing a plan for the project, THA selected Del-Jen Inc. of Silverdale, in 2002 to take on the project for the amount of $3,775,000.
Phase I included the renovation of 21 units, while Phase II would add 25 units of new housing, including 12 units of public housing and 13 tax credit units of non-public housing. Built as a combination of walk-ups and townhomes, the development included a new commons building and laundry facilities built during Phase I.
1500 Block
In, 2004, THA awarded a major revitalization for the 1500 block of the Hillside Terrace Apartments to Tacoma-based Construction Enterprises and Constructors. The block’s 16 units had been leased out for use as emergency 60-day shelter space, which led to growing maintenance needs for the aging property.
The revitalization work covered all 16 living units and a laundry facility, plus a new 250-square-foot commons room, and included replacing all site utilities, exterior siding, roofing systems, and interior finishes, while the facilities got new exterior and interior lighting, plumbing fixtures, cabinets, and heating system. A new porch design provided an appealing new look and feel, and a new handicapped parking stall and ramp were installed to accommodate the new accessible living unit.
1800 & 2500 Blocks
In the 2010s, THA demolished the remaining 104 worn-out units in Hillside 1800 and 2500 and set about building two new, modern properties to bring back more housing to the area. Hillside 2500 was replaced by a mix of townhomes and apartments in the Bay Terrace development, followed by Hillside 1800 which became home to 64 apartments in The Rise at 19th. You can learn more about each of these projects at the links below: