Today marks one year since partners and community leaders gathered to officially break ground on the Maritime|253 Skills Center and the new Port of Tacoma Maritime Business Center. That milestone moment set construction in motion.

Made possible by the 2020 school construction bond approved by Tacoma voters, Maritime|253 is rising as a 42,460-square-foot hub for hands-on, career-connected learning, complemented by 6,420 square feet of covered outdoor workspace. The skills center sits on a 21.1-acre site owned by the Port of Tacoma, alongside the Port’s new Maritime Business Center.

Over the past year, the vision has moved from plans to progress, with the campus taking visible shape along the Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood waterways. And that vision extends far beyond classrooms and labs. Once complete, the site will welcome the broader community with public waterfront access, a lighted walkway and promenade, thoughtfully designed seating and landscaping, and spaces that invite visitors to connect with the water up close.

Construction for Maritime|253 is on track for completion this fall and the Port building will be complete in Spring 2027.

Enrollment is now open for the 2026-2027 school year.  Maritime|253, will serve high school students from across South Sound, preparing them for in-demand maritime careers.