Known for its beautiful lakes and views of Mt. Rainier, the City of Lakewood is home to many young families and retirees who have lived there for generations.  Originally a vacation spot for Seattleites in the early 20th century, Lakewood gives a nod to its past with its tourism website NEARcation.com.  Filled with information about fun things to do in Lakewood, events to attend, places to eat and great places to lay your head at night, the site showcases the city’s 14 public parks, 7 lakes, 11 natural areas, 165 restaurants and 500 shops.

The city also proudly calls itself a military town. The second largest employer in Washington state, Joint Base Lewis-McChord is adjacent to the city and has a $15 billion impact on the state. It is predicted to grow in the coming years.  Lakewood knows that growth translates to a tremendous need for more housing and infrastructure, as well as daycare operators, already a national challenge. Working to meet these challenges involves many elements and projects.

The City of Lakewood is focused on building up its Downtown with amenities like the creation of the Green Street Loop to increase pedestrian and non-motorized access and a centralized public park. A recently approved private housing development – the Lakewood Towne Center Apartments – will add 309 residential units to this downtown core. The Barnes & Noble will relocate nearby to an empty storefront and the building it currently occupies will be torn down to make room for the housing. City leaders view this project as a catalyst to bring more businesses to the area including restaurants and small businesses.

The City Council has an eye to create a multi-generational community center, especially since ending its lease with Pierce County to house senior programming at the county-owned Lakewood Community Center.

The city has a significant target goal for housing and employment with 9,378 new units of housing and 9,863 new jobs by 2044. The Downtown area will make up a significant portion of those goals at 2,257 residential units and 7,317 net new jobs by 2035. This calls for an increase of 500 units of housing annually.

The Lakewood Station District is another area the city is targeting for housing.  Adjacent to the Sound Transit Lakewood Sounder Station, this district is ideal for new housing within walking distance of public transit. A 345-residental unit private development is planned for the area and will add affordable housing for people whose income is at 60% of the area median income level. Approximately 8 acres will be redeveloped to provide a variety of housing options for the community.

A key priority for Lakewood is to improve permit predictability.  The city’s Planning and Public Works team underwent Lean training at the end of 2024 to begin streamlining operations and improve customer service outcomes. Other changes include updates to City Code to assist residents and the implementation of a new user-friendly software system called Camino that allows people to easily track their applications through the permitting process.

“With these improvements, we hope to make the permitting process faster and more accessible for residents and businesses alike,” said Jeff Rimack, Planning and Public Works director. “We remain committed to increasing efficiency while maintaining the quality and thoroughness of our permit review system.”

For new businesses looking to locate in Lakewood, or those looking to expand or relocate, the city’s Economic Development division is there to offer wrap-round services to help navigate the steps. Currently Lakewood has over 2,700 businesses, many of which are growing, and an additional 2,000 doing business in the community.

Since incorporation in 1996, Lakewood has made major infrastructure upgrades across the city adding sidewalks, curbs, gutter, stormwater systems and streetlights to neighborhoods and major thoroughfares. In 2025 the city has $32.9 million in road improvement projects planned with $21 million of the total funding covered by outside grant awards.

The state is currently rebuilding its Western State Hospital campus in Lakewood, tearing down old buildings and adding a $750 million, 350-bed forensic hospital and administration building.

Service and retail sector jobs lead the city’s workforce, along with healthcare, transportation and logistics, and manufacturing.  A new hotel, Springhill Suites, is currently under construction on Pacific Hwy. The city’s Woodbrook Business Park, located just off Interstate 5, has grown rapidly in the last decade with 1.8 million square feet of industrial warehouse space and another 285,000 square feet in the permitting process.

Lakewood is home to a thriving international district and a key retail area along South Tacoma Way.  The International District showcases the rich tapestry of cultures in Lakewood with Asian and Hispanic markets, restaurants offering everything from Southern style cooking and Korean barbecue to Szechuan and El Salvadorian culinary treats.  “From restaurants to family-owned markets and everything in between, our International District has something for everyone,” said Economic Development Manager Becky Newton. “Many of the businesses in this district are minority owned and offer a melting pot of cultures, providing visitors and residents a chance to experience something new from around the world.”

Another focus of the city is on the arts. The city’s volunteer arts commission plans quarterly artist receptions to feature local artists whose works hang on the first floor of Lakewood City Hall. They also have helped with the selection of public art pieces installed around the city, commissioned murals to adorn public buildings and spearheaded an effort to “wrap” all the city’s signal boxes with local artwork to beautify the city’s streets.

From honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in January and showcasing a range of cultures on the International Stage at SummerFEST in July, to honoring Hispanic Heritage in September at its Fiesta de la Familia, Lakewood celebrates the many cultures that comprise the city by hosting special events throughout the year. Fort Steilacoom Park is the place to be on Tuesdays in the summer with the Lakewood Farmers Market launching June 3 followed by the Summer Nights at the Pavilion summer concert series that kicks off June 17.

Public Safety remains a top priority for the Lakewood City Council. The recent installation of Flock cameras around the city helps the Lakewood Police Department identify stolen vehicles, resulting in a more than 70% decline in vehicle thefts in 2024.

As the staff and city council work to fulfill their agenda in 2025, they will also say goodbye to City Manager of nearly 12 years, John J. Caulfield who recently announced his retirement in June 2025. Lakewood Mayor Jason Whalen said, “Since his appointment in September 2013, John has served Lakewood incredibly well, achieving much success for the community and regional accolades for our work together as Manager and Council.”