Project Spotlight: When a Non-Profit and a Local Business Move Forward Together
Some of the most successful projects don’t start with perfect sites or simple approvals. They start with shared goals, trust, and a willingness to work through complexity together.
That was the case on South 56th Street in Tacoma, where St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) and neighboring business Pacific Box partnered to unlock the future of a constrained property, benefiting both organizations and the surrounding community.
The Opportunity
St. Vincent de Paul owned a portion of property that had long been underutilized. The intent was to separate and sell part of the site so it could be put back into productive use, while also supporting SVdP’s broader mission.
Pacific Box stepped forward early, committing both time and capital to make the project viable. Their willingness to invest up front, before there was certainty, made the entire effort possible and set the tone for a collaborative process from the start.
A Complicated Site
The property itself was not simple. Development was constrained by:
A regulated stream and floodplain
Existing structures that crossed future property lines
Multiple layers of review involving the City of Tacoma and FEMA
Rather than allowing those constraints to stall progress, all parties stayed engaged and solution-oriented as the project moved forward.
“Jeff and the McInnis Engineering team were absolutely essential to the success of this project. Their creativity, tenacity, and deep understanding of local processes helped transform a challenging site into a shared win for all parties. This simply wouldn’t have happened without their leadership.”
Working Through the Process
Throughout the project, Pacific Box worked closely with both SVdP and our team, keeping momentum while respecting the nonprofit’s priorities and long-term interests. St. Vincent de Paul, for their part, placed trust in the process, even during periods when regulatory review and technical work took longer than anyone would prefer.
That trust mattered. It allowed the team to fully explore options, verify assumptions, and move forward confidently once the right path was clear.
A Key Breakthrough
During the survey phase, an important detail emerged. While the property had been combined for tax purposes, the original 25-foot-wide lots still legally existed. That discovery allowed a 1.52-acre portion of the site to be segregated without a short plat, avoiding a lengthy and costly approval process.
This single insight significantly reduced risk and timeline for everyone involved.
Clearing the Final Hurdle
One challenge remained: portions of existing outdoor structures crossed the proposed new property line. With Pacific Box’s support, the team obtained a partial demolition permit and coordinated targeted removal of non-conforming building sections. A new structural end wall—designed with assistance from SSF Engineers—was constructed to bring the site into full compliance.
The Result
With the structures corrected, the land segregation was submitted and approved by the City of Tacoma on the first review. The new parcel is now recorded with Pierce County, and Pacific Box is preparing to move forward with design of a new storage and delivery facility.
St. Vincent de Paul, in turn, was able to convert an underutilized asset into meaningful financial support for its mission, without compromising its values or taking on unnecessary risk.
This project is a reminder that non-profits and for-profit businesses can work together exceptionally well when there is mutual respect, clear communication, and a shared commitment to doing things the right way.
Pacific Box’s leadership and investment, St. Vincent de Paul’s trust and patience, and a collaborative, detail-driven process allowed a challenging site to become a success story for everyone involved.
We’re grateful to have been part of that partnership.