Above: The five story RST Cellars Building at 240 Custer Way is part of the planned action land use ordinance passed by the Tumwater City Council on Tuesday evening. Built over a period of years starting in 1966, the industrial building housed large beer cooling tanks and is not historic. It is located near the historic Schmidt House. In promotional materials, Falls Development has marketed it as a possible hotel with retail on the ground floor. Recently, it has been suggested as the location for a craft brewing and distillery center. It could also be a structured parking garage. Falls Development has said that the redevelopment of this building is one of its first priorities. Photo taken April 16, 2016.
By Janine Gates
“We’re on our way, for better or worse,” said City
of Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet, after the Tumwater city council voted 5 – 2 on
Tuesday evening in favor of a planned action land use ordinance that includes
the site of the Old Brewhouse.
Councilmembers Ed Hildreth and Joan Cathey voted no.
The action concluded a lengthy public hearing and finalized a land
use plan three years in the making for the 32 acre area currently owned by developer George Heidgerken and Falls
Development LLC. The area is roughly bounded
by Custer Way to the south, the Deschutes River to the west, Capitol Lake to the
north and the railroad to the east.
Out of three land use alternatives offered by the city, the modified ordinance was a compromise of sorts, landing somewhere between a do-nothing approach and a maximum redevelopment build out.
The council did not give Heidgerken his desired full build-out, instead
opting for an alternative that limits a new parking garage to 625 stalls. Parking for a new building, a residential component, would be within that garage.
It also limits any new building within the planned
action area to a maximum elevation of 126 feet, which is the ground level in
the immediate vicinity of the Schmidt House, to preserve views from the house.
Offering a flexible design, the types of development
and square footage of new development may be shifted between land uses, but the
total of new PM peak hour vehicle trips can not exceed 306 trips.
The planned action ordinance will be reviewed again
in five years by the city’s State Environmental Policy Act official, at which
time it could be amended.
On April 5, the City of Tumwater approved a letter
of agreement between the city and Falls Development LLC to acquire the six story, historic tower. The acquisition would also include easements to access the property and construct trails.
The tower is currently owned by Heidgerken, who has
not yet signed the letter of agreement. He has until April 30 to do so.
During public comment time on Tuesday evening,
concern was expressed by a member of the public that Heidgerken may back out
and not sign the agreement if the council did not give Heidgerken his desired
full build out.
Anthony Hempsted, a new hire of Falls Development
LLC, spoke to that concern, saying it has taken partnership and vision to get
this far with the city.
“Clearly, the city and Falls Development are in a
long term relationship….In no way, shape or form would we walk away from it,”
said Hempsted about the letter of agreement.
He praised the council for a transparent website,
saying he had reviewed videos of past meetings.
Regarding the ordinance, he said that Falls
Development does not think it is perfect and would have preferred a full build
out and more parking, but is willing to work with the city in good faith and
the ordinance as written.
He said Falls Development will work on the first
phase as soon as possible, the RST Cellars building, saying it could be a great
craft brewing and distillery center, and would be a natural catalyst for future
development.
The second phase would be the historic site.
“We have not done extensive work on what that would
look like in the future. Any development would have to fit within the
guidelines of the Historic (Preservation) Commission and we will certainly not do anything to infringe
upon the historic nature of the four buildings.…”
Redevelopment of the area includes preservation or
restoration of the historic buildings within the planned action area, which are
the Old Brewhouse, the east and west warehouses, and the keg house.
Several individuals spoke in support of the ordinance.
Michael Cade, executive director of the Thurston
Economic Development Council, admitted this was not an easy site, but spoke in
support of the planned action and mentioned other successful planned actions
he’s been involved with such as the Southwest Everett Environmental Impact Area
and the Bellingham Waterfront District.
Mariella Cummings, chair of the Thurston County
Chamber of Commerce, also supported the ordinance, saying the Chamber
recognizes the importance of the brewhouse property as a critical jewel in our
community’s character. She commended the council, as did others, for the creative,
deliberative, thoughtful approach the city has used to get this far in the
process.
David Nicandri, a member of Tumwater’s Historic
Preservation Committee, the group that will ultimately decide whether or not to
issue Heidgerken the required Certificate of Appropriateness for his projects, if they are ever submitted, spoke in support of the planned action. Nicandri is also the former longtime director of the Washington
State Historical Society.
Speaking at length as he did at the April 5 public
hearing in support of the city’s acquisition of the historic tower, Nicandri
likened the city’s challenge regarding the Old Brewery to the City of Tacoma’s
revitalization of the Old Union Station into a district courthouse.
Explaining that it was a former Superfund site, he
said that every development project has its limitations and opportunities. The
Union Station had outlived its usefulness as a station and the only way it was
going to be saved was if new development filled in around it. Ideas for its
purpose were bantered around. He said the city did the necessary planning
and was ready to go when the creative energies of the community finally mobilized
around the project.
“So it is possible, with solid design criteria… to
do significant infill and do it sensitively, as was done in the case of the
Tacoma Union Station project.”
Adding that the Old Brewhouse site is not a pristine,
environmental preserve, he continued, saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was
urban Tacoma. He said this property, when fully built out in 10 to 20 years,
could be nationally recognized.
Others expressed concerns or spoke in opposition to
the ordinance.
Krag Unsoeld, president of the South Puget
Environmental Education Clearinghouse (SPEECH), expressed concerns about
sea level rise for this area and that all the environmental impacts of
developing the hillside, removal of the artesian springs, and widening of the road
to access the site have not been taken into consideration.
He also expressed concern about the city’s
questionable business practice of entering into a hefty financial commitment to
restore the tower, and asked how the city is going to follow through if it does
not get grant money.
He said the situation was like a tragic comedy.
“…There is some belief that none of this (redevelopment)
will ever happen….If you believe that Heidgerken is not serious (about his
plans)… then don’t rely on him backing out in hopes of getting what you hope to
attain. Just draw the line and say no,
that’s not appropriate, it’s not environmentally appropriate….”
Ryan Carlson said he supports the idea of redevelopment
at the site but that the ordinance went too far in scope and scale. He said that because the brewery is in a
historic district, the bar for redevelopment should be set higher, and urged
the council to maintain the integrity of the site. Specifically, he said the
mitigation plan for the hillside’s stability would require significant
re-engineering and the integrity of the site would be lost in the process.
Speaking of diminished integrity, Carlson said he grew up on Tumwater Hill, and noted that
the once spectacular Overlook Park, which had allowed for a 360 degree, panoramic
view of the city and the region, was reduced to the size of a postage
stamp.
Others who spoke in opposition to the ordinance included former Olympia Mayor Bob Jacobs.
“It is ironic that at the same time Olympia is
working to eliminate its 'Mistake on the Lake,' Tumwater seems determined to
have one of its own,” he said.
The vote was put in the form of a motion by
Councilmember Neil McClanahan who said everyone has done their homework. The
motion was seconded by Councilmember Tom Oliva.
Councilmember Nicole Hill said that while this was
the hardest issue she has considered since she’s been on the council, she was
pleased that details have been tightened up in the last few weeks.
Councilmember Joan Cathey expressed concern that the
council is not in control of the “sweet spot” – the balance between responsible development
and protecting the environment.
Councilmembers were influenced by the thoughtful
comments made by the public and all appreciated the high level of civil
discourse demonstrated by the public and councilmembers.
Councilmember Tom Oliva, choking up, said the issue
was surprisingly hard to talk about, and reminisced how, 20 years ago, he saw
the tower, was immediately intrigued by it and wondered why it was dark.
Saying the planned action ordinance was “a little
bit overbuilt, in my opinion,” Oliva said he was hopeful and confident that
this last opportunity to preserve the buildings will work.
For
more photos and information about the planned action, the Old Brewery property
and historic tower, George Heidgerken, Falls Development LLC, Tumwater, the brewery
district planning efforts and related issues, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com.
For
more information about the Planned Action from the City of Tumwater, go to www.ci.tumwater.wa.us.
