TACOMA, Wash. — It could be weeks before the power is back on for several Tacoma businesses and the University of Washington-Tacoma campus along Pacific Avenue.
A fatal crash over the weekend near S 21st Street and Pacific Avenue took out the campus’s electrical system causing a campus-wide power outage. The outage effectively shut down the businesses in that area which are now struggling to figure out what’s next.
University officials have no definitive date on when the power will be back on. A team was on campus Thursday to look at the next steps, but campus operations are expected to be suspended through at least July 20.
“We could just use the community help right now,” said Annalee Zenkner, who manages Water From Wine. “We can’t operate without lights, we can’t operate without hot water to wash our hands, dishes.”
On a normal day, this stretch of Pacific Avenue is typically bustling with people grabbing lunch and walking around, but for days now it’s been a ghost town with no power and no end in sight.
Zenkner said Water From Wine opened last November and was just starting to build momentum for their new business when the fatal crash nearby wiped out power for the entire block.
It’s unclear when the lights will come back on as several businesses here struggle to keep things afloat in the meantime.
“I’ve cried several times today,” Zenkner said. “We’re trying to just come up with things to do, pushing online sales. I think the hardest part is maintaining my current employees, I want to make sure they’re paid but it’s also hard when we have nothing coming into the store.”
Tacoma police said speed was likely a factor in the crash with the driver who died on the scene estimated to be going at or above 100 miles an hour.
Meantime. UW-Tacoma has suspended operations and classes are in remote operations until at least July 20, and university officials said repairs have been difficult because the needed replacement equipment is not readily available.
Plus, rebuilding the infrastructure will need to go through the design process, permitting, construction and more.
“They survive on foot traffic down here, that’s what they survive on, and something like this, this is hard on them,” said Richard Fitzgerald, who lives nearby.
Now it’s just a waiting game for several businesses coming up with ideas like a block party to try and get through this.
“I feel like we’re going to have to start that all over in a way,” Zenkner said. “I hope that’s not the case, I hope the community will come out in force when we’re able to open again.”
Businesses told KOMO News ordering online where possible and getting gift certificates to use in the area later are just a couple of ways you can help them get by in the meantime.
“It’s just that it’s unfortunate for the business owners, the loss and profits and revenue, it’s going to make this strip of the city a little dead, less people walking around grabbing a bite to eat,” said Treja Miranda, who works nearby and was just trying to grab something to eat, only to find closed doors.