Sunday, May 11, 2014

It's No Mystery...WhoDunIt? Is Closing


Above: Barbara and Oscar Soule make their final selections at WhoDunIt? bookstore in downtown Olympia. The store is closing, and will continue to stay open - but not for too much longer - to reduce its inventory.
 
After nearly 14 years, Linda Dewberry and her bookstore, WhoDunIt?, at 119 East 5th is in the process of closing and reducing its inventory.  For just $10 for a bag of books, you still have a little more time to try a genre you never knew you’d like or find books by your favorite authors.
 
Walking downtown today, I found Rick Stilson, a longtime volunteer for the bookstore, surrounded by bare shelves, helping customers Oscar and Barbara Soule pack up their selections. They ended up with two bags of books that will no doubt keep them occupied for awhile.

All my life, I rarely read fiction. My husband has been a regular patron of WhoDunIt? for years, and it was only recently that I discovered Nevada Barr and her series of adventures with Anna Pigeon, a National Parks ranger.  I was hooked, and scooped up titles at WhoDunIt? like Track of the Cat, The Rope, Firestorm, Blind Descent, Blood Lure, and Borderline. There's a lot more I haven't read.
Who would have thought I’d appreciate quick reading involving a bit of history about our national park system and getting my mind off the latest city or county agendas and controversies?

“Linda is ready to retire – since the economic downturn, things got progressively slower,” said Stilson, who has volunteered for Dewberry and the store since 2006. “She’s got a really big group of faithful volunteers. I come in every Monday. I’ve had a lot of good weeks, and not so busy weeks….” said Stilson. The store featured Northwest mystery authors, used, and new books. 
The store was for sale, but Dewberry could not find a buyer. The space is now for lease. In a note on the door, Dewberry says, “…This is a bittersweet moment for me. I’ve loved being a bookseller downtown, getting to know all of you. I’m looking forward to having more time to spend with family and the friends I’ve made through the store.”

Downtown Olympia still has Orca Books on 4th Avenue and Browser's Bookstore on Capitol Way, but has also recently seen the closing of Fireside Books on Legion Way and Last Word Books on 4th Avenue.
“We have a lot of loyal customers who will miss us,” said Stilson. Stilson said Dewberry will continue her book club at Orca Books.

On this last trip to the store, we discovered a climbing related series by author Clinton McKinzie.
The back cover of Point of Law says, “…For thirty years a father and his sons have shared an addiction to dangerous, extreme climbing in the world’s most beautiful places. This just might be their last dance together…now, with a beautiful renegade environmentalist by his side, Antonio embarks on a perilious journey through the jagged peaks….”

Hmmm….sounds like an adventure!
Above: The familiar owl painted at WhoDunIt? store, located next to the former Wind Up Here toy store.
 

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Part Two: Fast Tracking a Vision for Downtown Olympia under a Community Renewal Area Plan


On May 15, there will be another group meeting that will include property owners to “review and fine tune” the results of the April 5 and April 16 workshops.

Above: A birds-eye view of downtown Olympia from West Bay yesterday afternoon. Many of the properties seen above are under review by a potential city Community Renewal Area plan.
 
By Janine Unsoeld

An active visioning process for downtown Olympia is well underway and almost nobody knows about it. The results of this vision for downtown Olympia could seriously influence the built environment of downtown Olympia.
The city council-driven Community and Economic Revitalization Committee (CERC) was created to deal with downtown blight through a community renewal area plan.

A citizen advisory committee was selected to advise the committee. The 30 plus member group has been meeting on a regular basis, fast-tracking a vision for downtown Olympia’s isthmus area, meeting several times in the past couple months.
The public is not scheduled to be included in the process until this coming July, when the community will be invited to comment on just two possible downtown and isthmus-area scenarios.

Above: The ultimate vision of blight - the vacant, nine story Capitol Center Building on 5th Avenue depicted in its own shards of glass on the sidewalk, earlier this spring.

Participant Perspective
 

Local land use and shoreline management attorney Allen Miller is a participant in the city’s citizen advisory committee for developing a potential Community Renewal Area (CRA). He is optimistic about dealing with the monstrosity everyone asks and wonders about: the nine-story Capitol Center Building, best known as The Mistake on the Lake.
“I think we are very close to correcting the greatest land use error in the history of Olympia which was allowing the Capitol Center Building to be built in 1965 in the historic view corridor of the Wilder and White and Olmsted Brothers plans for the State Capitol Campus. The plan for the State Capitol Campus is recognized around the country as the greatest example of City Beautiful Movement architecture in the world.
 
“The current partnership among city, county, state, tribe, and private philanthropy is leading to the purchase of the Capitol Center Building and taking it down.  In 1956, Governor Arthur Langlie and Mayor Amanda Smith came up with a “Fifty Year Plan for Olympia and the Capitol,” which planned the isthmus as a great civic area.  We are finally implementing that plan over 50 years later.” 

Miller provided links to videos about the vision of downtown Olympia without the Capitol Center Building: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa_vNP54Hg8 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHqiC5jbuPA
Parking at Capitol Center Building/The Views on 5th Avenue/Mistake on the Lake

While the urban design workshops held on April 5 and April 16 encouraged free thinking, many participants seemed willing to outright ignore actual comprehensive plan values, zoning, and current and ongoing legal restrictions governing our unique shoreline features.
For example, a hard-won July 2013 hearing officer decision definitively precludes use of the parking lot on the Capitol Center block for any purpose related to the building. The decision has a long and complicated history.

In 2011, the City of Olympia issued a notice of land use approval and SEPA determination of non-significance allowing The Views to continue with its conversion of the nine-story Capital Center Building on Fifth Avenue from an office building into a hotel.
(To read these and other isthmus-related stories at www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com – December 2, 2010 and February 16, 2011 type keywords into search button such as “hotel” and “isthmus.”)

Miller successfully represented former Governor Dan Evans and others in two years of litigation that followed, related to the Shoreline Management Act (SMA). The Capitol Center project site actually consists of two different land use parcels involving two parking lots located within 200 feet of Budd Inlet, thus falling under shoreline management regulation. In response to the threat of SMA regulation, building owners elected to detach one parking lot from the site.
Calling it a “classic piecemealing” maneuver, the city hearing examiners and the county’s Superior Court judges saw this as the owner’s way of getting around the constraints the SMA would impose.

The decision by Mark Scheibmeir, City of Olympia hearing examiner, said that the hotel or any commercial use on the project site shall be prohibited from using the adjoining parking lots or any property within the shoreline jurisdiction unless the owner of the property has complied with all applicable permitting requirements of the Shoreline Management Act.
Keep that in mind as you read the next design workshop group visioning process on April 16.

Above: From left to right - Jim Randall, Keith Stahley, Rob Richards, Stuart Drebick, Renee Sundee, and Olympia Mayor Stephen Buxbaum participate at the April 16 urban design workshop.

April 16: Sample Table Discussion/Visioning Process

Another downtown visioning opportunity was offered to the Community Economic Revitalization Committee, citizen advisory committee members and property owners on April 16 in Olympia City Hall chambers to contribute their design vision for downtown Olympia.

This was billed as a make-up session for those who could not attend the workshop on April 5. There were two tables of participants.

One table was composed of Rob Richards, Capital Recovery Center; Stuart Drebick, West Olympia Business Association member, contractor, and downtown property owner; Keith Stahley, city planning manager; Jim Randall, attorney and past president of the West Olympia Business Association; Mayor Stephen Buxbaum; and Renee Sunde of the Thurston County Economic Development Council.
As I did for the April 5 workshop, I listened to the visioning rationale of one full conversation. This table conversation was largely dominated by Drebick, who immediately asked Leonard Bauer, deputy director of the city planning and community development department, at the outset of the workshop, “Are we stuck with 35 feet?”

Bauer responded, “As you look at things, note that it’s a consensus by the group, considering the atmosphere and place that we’re at right now.” 
“So is this something that will really be built or is it pie in the sky? The worse thing that this space can be is a park,” he told his table group.

“Keep in mind, as housing gets built, it will bring people downtown,” said Renee Sundee, referring to the proposed seven story Columbia Heights project.
“I haven’t seen any dirt turned yet,” responded Drebick.

“It’ll get done,” said Buxbaum.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” replied Drebick.
“People stop at Storman’s before they go home…a park is nice during the summer months, but during the winter months, there’s nothing to keep people downtown. If there was a hotel or a small convention center, that would do it. Whether or not that can happen politically is another question,” said Drebick.

“Structured parking someplace is key,” said Stahley.
“The Cherry Street building looks nice, all the parking is inside the building, but they had the height to do it,” said Drebick.

“We’ve estimated that each stall in this area would be $40,000 - $45,000,” said Stahley.
“That’s expensive,” said Drebick.

“It will take the city pencil to make it happen, otherwise it won’t pencil out,” said Drebick.
Discussing the building that Traditions is currently located on Water Street, someone suggested that if it is made housing, we need parking.

“That street is not critical – we could consider two story parking. All those buildings are knockdowns, and we can reorient them,” said Buxbaum.
“If Kolb keeps redeveloping his properties to include housing over the next three to four years, that’s a lot of housing,” mused Drebick.

“Is there demand for it?” someone asked.

“Yes,” said Buxbaum.

Skeptical, Debrick said, “I’ll wait to see them rented.”

“A four story building is economical to build. Beyond that, you get into other issues,” said Drebick.
“In your honest opinion, Mayor, about the Capitol Center Building, are the Bob Jacobs' of the world going to allow it to be built? Hotel or housing, that’s it for me,” said Drebick, loudly.

Former Olympia mayor Bob Jacobs was standing nearby, overseeing the conversation and activities at the other table, composed of Councilmember Julie Hankins; Connie Phegley, owner of Old School Pizza; Paul Knox, executive director of the local United Way; Kevin Stormans, owner of Bayview grocery store; and Leo Rancour, of the Olympia Yacht Club.

Dodging the question, Buxbaum asked Richards, who hadn’t yet spoken, “What do you think?”

“We don’t want to get a neighborhood that’s dead at 6 p.m.,” said Richards.
“I think a boutique hotel could be very appealing. This could be a prime area,” said Sundee, who also did not speak up much.

“If the city openly encouraged it, the hoteliers will come. Right now, it has stink on it,” said Drebick.
Stahley said that in 2007-08, residential was explored for the building, but no exterior balconies could be built on it based on the way it’s constructed.

Moving to the Olympia Yacht Club, it was discussed that the club is interested in getting off the water.
“We could have high-end housing over the Yacht Club, but condos don’t sell in this town – they have a stigma in Olympia for some reason…I don’t know….,” said Drebick.

Stahley introduced the dilemma on Percival Landing.
“Right now, it hangs out there. It’s protection for sea level rise and storm surge. That allows the city to save an incredible amount of money in concrete for a seawall…” Stahley explained that the state Department of Natural Resources leases its land behind Bayview to the Yacht Club.

“They park trailers and stuff there.”
Sundee encouraged a retail, storefront experience along Fourth Avenue.

“Yes, that’s what we want,” said Stahley.
“I’d love to encourage something like that,” said Buxbaum, as he proceeded to place red-colored chips representing retail along the backside of Bayview.

“You mean reorientation?” asked Stahley.
There’s your park,” said Drebick, as he plopped a green colored park chip onto the ImageSource building, formerly the Kentucky Fried Chicken. “That guy said he’s not attached to the building,” Debrick said, referring to building owner Vicktor Zvirzdys.

“Connect Percival Landing, because there’s not a lot of places for people to watch the salmon…I think that’s just dynamite!” said Drebick.
“What about a mid-rise building?” asked Sundee.

“Thirty five feet is not mid-rise,” said Drebick.
Stahley said, “Well, a park needs parking,” and rearranged the red chips.

Drebick, who was still talking about the extension of Percival Landing and being near the water, continued, “It’s good to go smell it, feel life and death….”
Buxbaum put down some green space.

Sharp-eyed Drebick said, “Is that more park?”
Yea,” replied Buxbaum.

Buxbaum started encroaching on the current street between the Capitol Center Building and the Heritage Park fountain block, saying, “Don’t restrict yourselves to the gridlines.”
“It’s very expensive to develop unless you get density,” protested Drebick. “There’s too much bad dirt. The Westside has good dirt.”

Stahley said that back in the 80s it was suggested that Storman’s raise the height of their building.
“They didn’t have a color that says hotel?” Sundee asked Drebick, as he cut up a piece of yellow paper, wrote HOTEL on it, and plopped it down.

Drebick laughed. “Yea, what does that say to you?”
So, using a bit of rock, paper, scissors psychology, Drebick single-handedly converted the nine story Capitol Center Building, aka, the Mistake on the Lake, into a hotel.

And there it sat until time for the evening’s project was drawing to a close, and Buxbaum could stand it no longer.

Above: Stuart Drebick created his vision for a hotel on the isthmus, and there it sat until Mayor Stephen Buxbaum could stand it no longer, and suggested that the building, in some form, be the location for a new library. 
 
The discussion finally turned to the hotel/Mistake on the Lake and a suggestion was made by Buxbaum that the building, in some form, be the location for a new library. The idea was instantly rejected by Drebick.

“People who go to the library are not people with money, to be blunt. Do we not all carry a library in our pockets?” as he pulled out his smartphone.
“The library has some of the best programming in town,” retorted Stahley.

“It’s the only place for a library and it would require a community compromise,” continued Buxbaum. “I can see taking down the building and putting up a four story building…it’s a building past its useful life. It’s dysfunctional.”
“A library isn’t a revenue producer,” said Sundee.

“Where the library is now is underused,” said Buxbaum.
Drebick did not think it belonged downtown.

“A library creates foot traffic – it’s a big plus because it’s a self-supporting facility. Make it a civic center that’s exquisitely beautiful,” said Buxbaum.
“Who pays for it?” someone said.

“A coalition between those who want to get rid of it and those who want a library. It’s a large number of people,” responded Buxbaum.
“OK, well, that’s the politics of this town,” sniffed Drebick.

“If you combine retail and commercial, and some amenities….” someone said.
“I can’t climb on that boat,” said Drebick.

Randall said that the downtown library is creepy.
“What about something like a Powell’s bookstore?” offered Sundee, referring to the awesome Portland shop.

“You have to think of highest and best use, where you’re getting true financial benefit,” said Randall.
“A library gives families three things: someplace to take the kids, a place to go out to eat and shop, get groceries, exercise and entertain, all within the space,” said Buxbaum, motioning to the general area.

“It would take you more than 10 years to pull together a plan for a library,” said Drebick.
“I don’t know,” responded Buxbaum.

Drebick began to estimate the costs to get rid of the building and redevelop it into a library. Estimates started at $20 million.
“That’s conservative,” said Randall.

Discussion ensued about creating the top three floors into condos, with the library underneath.
“I don’t think people would like living above a library,” said Sundee.

Buxbaum explained that the City of White Center created just such a project and that it appears to be a successful model.
Drebick said that he sat on a committee in 1987 for housing and not a lot has changed. “Same issues: Does it pencil? Can you rent it? Will it make money?”

Wrapping up the April 16 workshop, Buxbaum concluded, “There are choices to make, options with very little public investment, explain to the public what a return on investment means, test the feasibility and come up with a range of options worthy of consideration.”
Discussion by the Community and Economic Revitalization Committee

The CERC committee met on April 21 to discuss the results of the two design workshops and figure out next steps.

“Property ownership, financing, developers, and the community - how does this all fit together so it’s achievable? Just because there’s property ownership does not mean there’s development,” began Stahley.
Jones said that out of the isthmus discussions and workshops, sea level rise was not discussed.

“Regarding its impact to the isthmus, I think we need something of a reality check….blowing up bladders, creating berms, I have no idea of the magnitude. Bringing it into the discussions sooner makes sense….putting Percival Landing - millions of dollars - over the water doesn’t make sense,” said Jones.”
Stahley agreed. Discussing the Oyster House, Stahley said that there’s not too much the city can do to protect it.

“It’s one of the most challenging areas, how to protect it.”
Stahley said that addressing the issues of Percival Landing and sea level rise issues are currently underfunded.

Next Steps
Economic feasibility involving fiscal issues, revenues, property taxes, and costs associated with the design workshop ideas is scheduled to be presented to the group in May.

The consultant will soon be distilling the visions created by the eight tables of participants and creating a computer model to refine common themes and areas of disagreement.
On May 15, there will be another group meeting that will include property owners, says Stahley, to “review and fine tune” the results of the April 5 and April 16 workshops.

On May 29, the Community and Economic Revitalization Committee (CERC) will meet to discuss this input and the scenarios developed. Also at the May 29 meeting, the CERC will consider next steps and develop a recommendation for the full city council to consider on June 10.
Next: Part Three: Fast Tracking a Vision for Downtown Olympia under a Community Renewal Area Plan - More Participant Perspectives

Above: Amongst broken glass, graffiti, and discarded toilet paper, two daffodils try their best to keep up appearances outside the vacant Capitol Center Building on 5th Avenue in downtown Olympia earlier this spring.
 

Fast Tracking a Vision for Downtown Olympia under a Community Renewal Area Plan – Part One



Above: Fast-moving city council sponsored design workshops and discussions are generating a proposed vision for downtown Olympia. At an open house this coming July, the public will be invited to comment on just two downtown and isthmus-area scenarios.

By Janine Unsoeld

An active visioning process for downtown Olympia is well underway and almost nobody knows about it. The results of this vision for downtown Olympia could seriously influence the built environment of downtown Olympia.
The public is not scheduled to be included in the process until this coming July, when the community will be invited to comment on just two possible downtown and isthmus-area scenarios.

Keith Stahley, the City of Olympia community planning and development manager, says there may be a public outreach component added to the city's scope of work. The objective, he says, is to finish the Community Renewal Area process in 2014.
What’s a Community Renewal Area?

In 2011, the city formed an ad hoc Community Renewal Committee and changed the name of this committee to the Community and Economic Revitalization Committee (CERC) in February of this year to deal with downtown blight. This committee intends to deal with downtown blight through a community renewal area plan.
Under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 35.81, Community Renewal Law, the City of Olympia has started a process to develop a Community Renewal Area (CRA).

The intent of a Community Renewal Area is to combat blight, such as dilapidated, vacant buildings, and focus limited resources to create the greatest possible return on an investment. The city hopes to do this by creating a CRA and developing a formal community renewal plan.

RCW 35.81 has some potentially controversial elements. Washington State law prohibits the “lending of credit,” or transferring of public property to a private party. Olympia cannot acquire land and then turn it over to a private company for development purposes.
RCW 35.81, however, provides an option for cities to overcome this restriction as long as certain conditions are met and there has been a “sufficient community process” undertaken to ensure the need for the project.

The city has embarked upon this path and apparently considers the visioning process currently underway as “sufficient.”
With a CRA, the city will be able to acquire property, transfer city-owned property to private parties, improve properties for public or private use, perform rezones for particular properties regardless of the growth management or comprehensive planning cycle, and borrow money or apply for grants to carry out community renewal. And this is all for starters.

A CRA feasibility study was recently prepared by the consulting firm ECONorthwest and is being used to address the many challenges facing the revitalization of Olympia.
The Community and Economic Revitalization Committee (CERC)

A city Community and Economic Revitalization Committee is composed of Mayor Stephen Buxbaum, and city councilmembers Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Jones and Julie Hankins.
A grandly titled Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) was chosen to advise the committee since June of 2013. The 30 plus member group has been meeting on a regular basis, fast-tracking a vision for downtown Olympia’s isthmus area, meeting several times in the past couple of months.

When asked about the citizen advisory committee membership, Stahley, said it was created by the city’s consulting team, ECONorthwest, “with input from the staff and the CERC to provide a balanced perspective on downtown redevelopment.”
With the help of consultants, the group’s visions for downtown Olympia will be distilled into two scenarios, which will be presented to the community for public involvement in July.

In addition to those two committees, several additional downtown property owners have been invited to participate in at least three recent Community Renewal Area urban design workshops held on March 6, April 5, and April 16. An earlier fourth meeting with property owners was held in February to frame the purpose and timing of the subsequent workshops. 
These property owners include representatives of the Olympia Yacht Club, Bayview, the Oyster House, Traditions Fair Trade, the Capitol Center Building, and ImageSource.

Above: Traditions Fair Trade is on the corner of 5th and Water Street with the nine story Capitol Center Building rising above it on the next block. In the March 6 city meeting with property owners, Ray LaForge, who has owned the building for 31 years, said he believes the building should be replaced. He says that it is no longer energy efficient and envisions a new structure facing Heritage Park and the fountain, but was adamant in saying that during potential changes, the economic viability of the tenants must not be harmed.

Letting the Chips Fall Where They May – The Vision of a Few
The players invited to create this vision for downtown reads like a Chamber of Commerce roster, with five organizations or groups being allowed two seats at the table, such as the Thurston County Economic Development Council, Thurston Regional Planning Council, the West Olympia Business Association, the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation, and the city Planning Commission.

Three seats are offered for downtown property owners, occupied by Camron McKinley, Erica Cooper, and Jim Morris.
Other invited organizations with one representative each include the Visitor and Convention Bureau, the Olympia Downtown Association, the Thurston County Chamber, the Port of Olympia, the Yacht Club, Intercity Transit, and Timberland Regional Library.

City advisory committees such as the Olympia Parking Business Improvement Area, and the Heritage Commission are also represented by one person each.
Other businesses or organizations invited are Olympia Federal Bank, Capital Recovery Center, and a social service position represented by Paul Knox, executive director of the local United Way.

The lone citizen at large position is held by Kris Goddard, who is listed as a member of a now defunct community group called Olympia 2020.
The consultant group is currently budgeted to accomplish its work at $155,000. Stahley says that an offsetting $25,000 grant from the Community Economic Revitalization Board is included in that amount.

Step One: Categorizing Downtown Properties
Property ownership continues to be cheap and easy in downtown Olympia, leading to a myriad of owners and visions that look like a crazy scene inside of a kaleidoscope.

Indeed, the community is still deeply divided on a cohesive vision for downtown.
Uncertainties around retail, housing, environmental hazards, old infrastructure such as aging water pipes, some older than 50 years, shoreline regulations, zoning, and sea level rise are just a few factors that keep private investors away from downtown.

At a March 6 CERC/CAC/property owners meeting, the group categorized downtown property parcels into categories for future land use: stable, redevelopment, and adaptive reuse.
Indicated by name cards, workshop participants were told where to sit at each table, as much as possible, to include a city councilmember, a planning commissioner, a city staff person, and assorted others.

Along 4th and 5th Avenues heading east into downtown, the checkerboard results considered Bayview grocery store to be stable, the former Kentucky Fried Chicken (now ImageSource) to be adaptive or re-developable; the now City of Olympia owned properties to be re-developable; the Olympia Yacht club to be stable and adaptive; the Capitol Center building and related properties to be adaptive and re-developable; the Oyster House property to be stable; and the City of Olympia owned Heritage Park fountain area stable.
The buildings bordered by Water Street and 4th and 5th Avenues, owned by three different entities, which includes Traditions Fair Trade, is considered re-developable property. 

Let’s Play!
On April 5 and April 16, the select group met at several tables for design workshops in city hall chambers. Using scissors, glue, and multi-colored pieces of paper, the purpose of the meetings was to create a vision for what many call the most valuable and visually spectacular six blocks of real estate in the country: downtown Olympia and the area known as the isthmus.

“You’d have to go far and wide to find land like this…it’s a world class piece. You all know that, if you can come together…it’s a remarkable piece…” gushed John Fregonese, a consultant also working with the city, at the April 5 workshop.
At the Saturday, April 5 workshop, Olympia councilmembers Stephen Buxbaum, Nathaniel Jones, and Julie Hankins participated, while councilmembers Cheryl Selby and Jeannine Roe sat in the back to observe the process or mill around during the discussions. Councilmembers Steve Langer and Jim Cooper did not attend.

Buxbaum and Hankins also participated with a make-up session on April 16 including several participants for those unable to attend the April 5 session. Several members of the public sitting in the back of the room at each of these meetings were not invited to participate or give comment.
The meetings are not officially audio or videotaped, but Walt Jorgensen, a Tumwater citizen, was seen in the back of the room videotaping the April 5 workshop.

The possibility of increasing building heights in downtown Olympia came up in at least two table groups.

Above: From lower left to right: Urban design workshop participants Rachel Newmann, city councilmember Nathaniel Jones, Allen Miller, Craig Holt, Max Brown, and Amy Buckler plan a vision for downtown Olympia on April 5.

April 5: Sample Table Discussion/Visioning Process
 
Quickly milling around the tables did not provide me a cohesive picture of the rationales being discussed for why the multi-colored pieces of paper were being placed where they were. I decided, with city manager Steve Hall’s permission, to become a potted plant on the side of a randomly selected table.

The table was represented by Councilmember Nathaniel Jones; city planner Amy Buckler; city Planning Commission chair Max Brown; Rachel Newmann, a member of the Heritage Commission; Allen Miller, attorney; and Craig Holt, representing the Olympia Downtown Association.
The paper chips: Red represented “mixed use.” Ochre represented “commercial.” Pink represented “employment.” Yellow represented “residential.” Blue represented “civic.” Green represented “open space.”

Some color “chips” were set aside off the map of downtown for the sake of quick resolution, and what was actually glued down to the map was heavily influenced by the desires of the individual participants of the table. 
Blank colored chips were provided for participants to write in their own ideas. And that they did. Four times, attorney Allen Miller repeated his desire during the course of the hour conversation that he wanted to see a big carousel down on the isthmus, and in the end, he got it.

Right off, Miller wanted a public restroom right next to Heritage Park Fountain, and he got it – a big one. Then, Miller wanted a museum in cooperation with the Squaxin Island Tribe. He got it.
Newmann wanted an amphitheater.

“I can see Olympia enjoying that on a summer night and in winter, it could be iced over and have it be an outdoor ice rink!”
Brown agreed, “You’ve got a show without a T.V.”

A daycare, library, and garden center were also discussed. No senior housing was wanted by the group “because the Boardwalk is nearby.”

A hotel/conference center? No.
A fitness center? “I can see it incorporated into something else, like a daycare,” said Jones.

An adult learning facility? “I can see TESC or St. Martin’s having a vision here…” said Jones.
A bookstore? “Put an asterisk on it,” said Jones.

Gateways such as monuments, bus shelters, crosswalks, and streetlights were discussed.
“What about the Yacht Club?” someone asked.

“I’m not sure if their location is tenable,” said Jones. They may need to move onto land due to sea level rise…Percival Landing may also apply. It may be extended on land.” The complications of the fact that all tidelands are leased by the state Department of Natural Resources were pointed out.
Newmann suggested that Bayview’s parking lot doesn’t need to be a surface lot and suggested it be turned into mixed use housing facing Budd Inlet.

“I think that’s a great concept…there’s a lot of hard surface on this property. I’m interested. That’s a good conversation to have,” said Brown.
Miller interrupted, saying he’s more interested in getting rid of blight.

Asked for his opinion, Holt said, “I have a hard time starting the discussion on the one big piece of nice property.”
Jones agreed with Newmann that the group needed to think of downtown in terms of its context, taking advantage of the setting.

“We need to exploit it in the most positive sense, what we’ve got here.”
Miller reminded the group that there’s a 35 foot height limit in this area.

“Whatever goes here should look nice 350 degrees…housing, retail….” said Newmann, pointing to the area currently occupied by Traditions.  

Jones pointed to the retail strip near the Heritage Park fountain lot. “Do we want it to stay retail?”
“I have no problem with Traditions staying. I could live with it,” said Miller.

People could get different kinds of mortgages if they live above their shop,” said Newmann.
The consultant stopped by to check on their work, and remarked on the big restroom placed next to the Heritage Park fountain. It took up the whole space where Da Nang restaurant, the Alano Club, and other businesses currently occupy.  Buckler said, “We like water,” but acquiesced, trimming it down to a tiny square.

“One block done!” someone in the group exclaimed at 10:45 a.m.
Next, the group tackled the block occupied by The Views on Fifth Avenue, also known as the Capitol Center Building, but better known as the nine-story “Mistake on The Lake.”

“There are concerns about how it can be reused…it’s a challenge…it could be lofts, mixed retail…” started Jones. “I don’t know…I don’t have a grand vision – it would be incredibly expensive to take down and rebuild.”
Miller said, “It’s blight, it needs to come down. We need a covered carousal, or an artesian well fountain. There used to be one in Capitol Lake that was capped. We need another draw.”

Brown: “Anchor fountains!”
Newmann said that in Missoula, there’s a carousal that is loved, where receptions and weddings are held. “It’s not just for kids.”

Holt said, “I’ve never considered that. The building needs to come down. I don’t know what it would cost to bring it down, and there’s a contamination issue….”
Brown called the question. Does anyone think it should stay in its current state?

No one did.
Brown said there needs to be a cohesive feel to the area.

“These two blocks need to match, or these two, or all of it,” he said, pointing to a couple blocks. “I’m going to say something that I think will get me into trouble. I think we need a height increase. Not 90, or 75, but maybe 42 feet….I like the idea of a live-work space….I’m not opposed to TESC downtown – I don’t think the isthmus is the right place. We need office space. I’ve heard people say (when they worked there), ‘It was the most beautiful place I’ve ever worked.’ We could bring in tech companies, family wage jobs or better!”
“And then we can bring back KFC!” exclaimed Holt.

“I don’t think Larida Passage was the greatest idea…” started Brown.
Newmann interjected. “It’s my turn – it’s a million dollar view! I understand Olympia is in dire straits but we need to put it in context. What does it mean for Olympia and the Capitol? People in Olympia voted and changed the council because we didn’t want to raise the height. The community is exhausted on that. Now we want to do something to maintain this. We could have attractive housing looking over Budd Inlet, looking out. I don’t think we need to give the best of Olympia away….”

“Think how drastically we could make things work if we had seven more feet,” mused Brown.
What about an artist space?” asked Newmann. “A civic space? A plaza and place for people to bring people in after they walk around the lake. They need a place to duck into….an art space with TESC and the Squaxin Tribe….”

“We need revenue. It’s not huge revenue on its own. We need partnerships,” said Brown.
“I don’t think any developer is going to want to be down there with housing at 35 feet,” said Holt.

“I want a destination that brings people off of I-5, like the Hands On Children’s Museum on steroids,” said Jones.
“We need to touch the water. I want to see a corridor. I don’t care about the current street pattern,” said Newmann.

“We can do anything…” said Jones.
“Seventy percent of people would vote for a bond to bring that building down,” said Newmann.

“There’s no need for the CRA,” said Brown. “It sounds like what we’re getting at is a public purpose…This is an area where we have one shot at it,” said Brown.
Newmann again urged housing in the parking lot of Bayview and the Yacht Club looking toward the water.

The subject of more civic and park space was discussed.
“I don’t want pasture land. Being in Olympia, it rains a lot, it would create another marsh. I don’t mind a little green - we live in a climate that that doesn’t make it useful,” said Brown.

“What’s this?” Buckler picked an orange chip off the map. It was the hotel/conference center chip. It was taken off the map by quick consensus.
As time was called for the tables to wrap up, Buckler proceeded to glue down the chips the group had agreed upon, onto the map.

Above: Urban design workshop participant Jerry Reilly, a member of the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation, acts as spokesman to explain the rationale for his table's group vision. The table participants for this group included Reilly; Olympia city councilmember Julie Hankins, Ray LaForge, a business and property owner; Kris Goddard; and city paid group facilitator, Scott Fregonese.
 
Scenario Review

Holding up his table’s map for the group to inspect, Jerry Reilly asked the group to “suspend beliefs and assumptions.” His group, which included Councilmember Julie Hankins, featured a very large park, and some housing with retail below, to “preserve the area’s iconic views.”

Amenities included an electric trolley instead of DASH, a restaurant where ImageSource is, an extension of Percival Landing, and keeping Bayview, what he called “America’s most beautiful grocery store.”
Brown explained his table’s design and Thera Black, Thurston Regional Planning Council, offered her table’s design, which included a small boat launch where the current restroom is on Percival Landing near the Oyster House. Historically, one used to be there.

“Restore it, gain public access to the water, close off the road…extend Percival Landing, with a second place for public access by ImageSource, make a U-Turn in the parking lot, and create a new connection to Deschutes Parkway to help circulation…”
Lori Drummond, Olympia Federal Savings, offered her table’s design featuring a blocked off street, a parking garage with retail on the bottom, a second floor on Bayview, an amphitheater, kiosks, and a public market.

She said the group was neutral on ImageSource since it has 45 employees, “but if something could be worked out to move it, it could be a park with a fountain, widening Yashiro Street for a library….” Her group kept all the thoroughfares and extended Percival Landing, created a walkway under the bridge and a pedestrian overpass to the Westside, and kept the retail area on Water Street currently occupied by Traditions.
It was this group that also suggested that heights could be higher.

Multiple Layers involving Downtown


The city is currently involved in a variety of concurrent, multiple, overlapping master processes, i.e. Imagine Olympia, the Comprehensive Plan, the Shoreline Master Plan (which is now at the state Department of Ecology for review), and the upcoming Downtown Master Plan which will soon be undertaken by the Planning Commission.
Asked later how these all work together with the new downtown revitalization plan, Stahley said, “That remains to be seen. It depends on the outcome. Generally all of the documents you reference support the continuation of our downtown as a vital and central part of our community and our region. Each of these planning efforts helps to move us in that direction. The Community Renewal Area is primarily directed at the elimination of blight in downtown. The Saturday, April 5 workshop was an effort to start to define what shape that might take and to learn how to talk to one another.”
 

Next: Part Two - Fast Tracking a Vision for Downtown Olympia under a Community Renewal Area Plan

Monday, May 5, 2014

The Passing of Billy Frank Jr.

 
Above: Billy Frank Jr., fourth from the left, is the only one looking at me in this previously unpublished group photo at the conclusion of a Puget Sound Partnership Leadership Council meeting on January 17, 2014 in the GA Building in Olympia. 
 
by Janine Unsoeld
 
I usually attend Puget Sound Partnership leadership council meetings when they are held in Olympia just to hear Billy Frank, Jr. speak. And when he spoke, everyone listened.
 
Billy Frank, Jr., serving as Chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, has forged cooperative agreements which include the interests of tribal, commercial, and sports fishermen, while protecting and advocating for the fisheries resources of future generations.
 
In my January 16 Little Hollywood blog post at www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, I briefly quoted Frank, who wanted to help incoming Partnership director Sheida Sahandy and Governor Jay Inslee better understand the dire situation and the need to better describe the Puget Sound story:
 
"We have a lot of problems...the salmon can't get to the Narrows Bridge before they die...same with Squaxin coho...there are no flounders anymore, the little critters are all gone...." Billy Frank Jr. told Inslee and Sahandy.
In a press release today, Washington State Jay Inslee said, "Washington lost a true legend with the passing of Billy Frank, Jr. today.
"He was a selfless leader who dedicated his life to the long fight for the rights of our state's native people. Billy was a champion of tribal rights, of the salmon, and the environment. He did that even when it meant putting himself in physical danger or facing jail.
"I'm thankful Billy was here to see the 2014 Legislature pass a bill helping to overturn convictions from treaty protests. Billy was right on this issue and the state owed this gesture of justice to him and others who jeopardized their liberty to fight for treaty rights.
"Billy never wavered in his conviction and passion. He stressed to me the spiritual and cultural relationship that indigenous people have with salmon.
"His work is the foundation of an enduring legacy that will never be forgotten in Washington state.
"He once said, 'The Creator put that salmon there for it to survive.' I thank the Creator for putting Billy here to make sure we never forget what he fought for.
"Trudi and I send our condolences to Billy's family, friends, tribal members and everyone across the state and the country who mourns the passing of this great man."

Above: Billy Frank Jr., left, speaking at a Puget Sound Partnership meeting on February 6, 2013 in Olympia. When Billy spoke, everyone listened.