Federal Way officials explore Native American culinary arts institute for PACC

Published 10:22 am Tuesday, March 10, 2015

The Federal Way City Council was brought up to speed on the status of the Performing Arts and Conference Center project at the Tuesday regular meeting.

Arts center project manager Will Appleton said the city was on track with the project to proceed in a design-bid-build methodology and that the project was on budget based on the December 2014 construction estimate.

“A few things for consideration are we are adding a full kitchen to this project to facilitate a culinary arts institute,” Appleton said. “That was something that was thought of but unanticipated originally so that will be adding some cost to the project.”

Estimated cost for the full kitchen is $400,000.

Other considerations include the possibility for construction cost escalation due to the anticipated hot construction market, Appleton said.

“If it remains hot and continues that way moving through the summer, we may see some escalation in cost simply due to how busy the contractors are that perform this sort of work,” he said.

Appleton added that city staff are also evaluating project elements for cost saving opportunities.

Another component of the proposed arts center project that is still in flux and undetermined is the idea to partner with regional Native American tribes such as the Muckleshoot, Tulalip, Snohomish and others, to create a culinary arts institute with the purpose to train low-income populations and specifically Native Americans in “the study of institutional food service, catering services, and restaurant and hospitality operations,” according to the project overview.

According to city documents, the culinary arts institute is part of the city’s “economic development strategy to help create employment opportunities and also incorporate education as a targeted cluster for growth and expansion in Federal Way.”

It is the city’s idea to design the institute as a conduit to supply “trained, skilled employees for Native American facilities in the Puget Sound.”

It would also supply future culinary professionals for Federal Way’s burgeoning center of restaurants and eateries.

Chris Carrel, city spokesman, said the Native American idea is in “the exploration phase and there are currently no definite details or partnerships to speak of.”

The Native American idea has been discussed at past council meetings and most recently at the council retreat earlier this year. Construction of the $32.7 million 41,000-square-foot Performing Arts and Conference Center is slated to start in September. Completion is expected in December 2016.