This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1984. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property served as a Pacific Northwest Bell telecommunications service operating center in South Tacoma, with operations confirmed at minimum since 1984 when US West inherited the facility during the AT&T divestiture. Underground storage tanks on site leaked petroleum into groundwater, with contamination discovered around 1993. Laboratory analysis in December 1996 confirmed groundwater contaminated with TPH-G, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes), and lead above MTCA Method A cleanup levels. The facility was already a former operating center by 1997, and the most recent SHARP report in December 2025 still rates groundwater contamination at A1, indicating cleanup remains ongoing under the Standard Cleanup program. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
Why Historical Insurance Policies May Be Accessible
Pre-1986 Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies were occurrence-based and did not contain an effective pollution exclusion in Washington. If contamination occurred while those policies were active, those historical insurance carriers may still have a legal obligation to fund the cleanup costs, even if the business closed or the property changed hands.
This telecom facility was operating during the pre-1986 era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Tank lifecycle analysis applied to the USTs leaking by 1993 supports installation in the late 1960s to early 1970s, extending the potential coverage window well before the 1984 confirmed minimum. The petroleum contamination discovered in groundwater has persisted for over three decades and continues to require remediation — costs that historical CGL carriers who insured Pacific Northwest Bell and its successors during that operational window may still be obligated to cover.
Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful coverage claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage. Restorical then manages the claim, including accounting, to ensure the cleanup is funded in a timely manner.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.