Mistake on the Lake Deconstruction Underway

Above: The ongoing deconstruction of downtown Olympia’s much reviled nine story building provides a surreal view through the building’s framework to Budd Inlet, Puget Sound, and the Olympic Mountains. The almost unencumbered view has not been seen since 1964.

Mistake on the Lake by the Numbers

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The scene is surreal.

With window frames and outer metal sheathing removed, a stunning sight looking north from the Washington State Capitol Campus toward Budd Inlet, Puget Sound, and the Olympic Mountains is revealed through the building’s framework for the first time since 1964.

It is a visual tease that will not last long and gives false hope to those who may think that downtown Olympia’s much reviled nine story building is coming down once and for all.

We are talking about, of course, the building best known as the Mistake on the Lake, or the Capitol Center Building. The building at 410 Fifth Avenue is now known as Views on Fifth.

The owner, Ken Brogan, his investors, and representatives successfully navigated city permit processes and appeals to create a mixed-use commercial and residential building of the same height and two, three story buildings nearby.

City staff said on Monday that they do not have a schedule for the project, but estimate that it should take about a year to complete.

Above: A City of Olympia hearing examiner approved the redevelopment proposal for Views on Fifth. A public hearing on the project held January 9 lasted nearly six hours, with one five minute break. Hundreds of community members were in attendance.

Although the project could have been handled by the city, the building is so controversial that the city deferred to a hearing examiner to determine whether the proposed project is a permitted use within the urban waterfront-housing zone, and if it complies with all city codes.

“The Capitol Center Building is unattractive and its location is truly unfortunate. In a perfect world it never would have been constructed, and it could not be constructed today,” wrote City of Olympia hearing examiner Mark Scheibmeir, in his decision dated February 2.

The building cost two million dollars when construction started in 1964 and was completed in 1966. Although the state department of archeology and historic preservation deemed that it was eligible for the national register in 2013, it was never listed.

Above: The deconstruction of the nine story building as seen earlier this week in downtown Olympia.

Mistake on the Lake by the Numbers

2,000 + pages of case documents were available to the hearing examiner related to the redevelopment project.

$1,500 dollars was spent on overtime for additional City of Olympia police presence the night of the hearing on January 9. Despite advance chatter of possible disruptions, there were no known police actions related to the meeting.

1,022 new weekday daily trips are expected to be generated by the project. The applicant will mitigate the traffic impacts by payment of a traffic impact fee of $167,224.83.

248 wooden pilings are under the Capitol Center Building, according to a civil and structural engineer for the applicant. The timber is sound, according to a 2012 analysis.

200 feet from the Ordinary High Water Mark of Budd Inlet is a northeast parking lot adjacent to the project. It is owned by several individuals, some of whom own Views on Fifth through a different corporation. Ownership of the parking lot was jettisoned by the applicant, ostensibly to circumvent scrutiny by the city and state Shoreline Management Act jurisdiction. The applicant asserted that there was no evidence in the project record suggesting improper future ‘piecemealing.’ Just in case, the hearing examiner added a condition that precludes the applicant from using the parking lot for commercial use without undergoing a Shoreline Management Act review. This does not include parking on the property.

143 units of rental apartments are anticipated, some of which are defined as live/work spaces. These are defined in International Building Code as a dwelling unit or sleeping unit in which a significant portion of the space includes a nonresidential use that is operated by the tenant.

60 percent (over) of Olympians voted for the creation of a Metropolitan Park District in 2016. Purchase of the Capitol Center Building was specifically part of the ballot language, with the hope the area could be made into a park. 

15 feet is the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) of the southeast corner of the Capitol Center Building, which lies within a Flood Zone. City ordinance requires the Capitol Center Building to be flood proofed up to 16 feet BFE, or one foot. Sea level rise in downtown Olympia is predicted to be one foot by the year 2050.

7 former Governors of the State of Washington, some of whom who have since passed away, represented by local attorney Allen Miller, who want the building removed: Albert Rosellini (deceased, 2011), Dan Evans, John Spellman (deceased, January 26, 2018), Booth Gardner (deceased, 2013), Mike Lowry (deceased, 2017), Gary Locke and Christine Gregoire.

7 magnitude earthquakes are the standard for minimum design loads for buildings and other structures in Western Washington, relied upon by the International Building Code and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 

6.8 was the magnitude of the Nisqually earthquake in 2001. The Pacific Northwest is overdue for an earthquake larger than magnitude 7. Current simulations and research generally focus on the possibility of a magnitude 9 for the region.

For more photos and information about the Views on Fifth, or the Views on 5th, Mistake on the Lake, Capitol Center Building, owner Ken Brogan, downtown Olympia, sea level rise, flood events, King Tides, the proposed hotel, or the isthmus, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

Editor's Note/Clarifications, June 19: Little Hollywood made a couple numerical corrections to this story. Little Hollywood appreciates the feedback.

Above: Children play in the Heritage Fountain in downtown Olympia earlier this week.

Sea Level Rise: Olympia is not Alone

Above: Regional elected officials met last Wednesday evening at Olympia City Hall to discuss sea level rise response planning efforts. Members of Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater city councils, the Port of Olympia, Thurston County, and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance were in attendance.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Regional elected officials met January 31 to discuss the threat of sea level rise and began planning efforts to save downtown Olympia.

A sight rarely seen to discuss a singular issue, members of Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater city councils, the Port of Olympia, Thurston County, and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance were in attendance at Olympia City Hall. 

Over 100 assets in downtown Olympia have been identified and categorized and a plan for phasing in specific actions, with an eye toward long range strategies, will begin. 

Justin Vandever of AECOM, the consultant firm hired by the entities, presented the latest sea level rise science specific to downtown Olympia. 

“We know the science is going to change…every few years we’re going to get new information. The likely sea level rise scenario will be 13 inches by 2050, and 36 inches by the end of the century…but there’s a lot of uncertainty…the high range is 24 inches by 2050,” he said.

Reminding officials that Olympia is not alone, Vandever provided examples of other cities, port districts and water and wastewater treatment plant facilities that are also facing sea level rise challenges.

Despite his experience in working with various entities, Vandever said Olympia is unique and its plans and ideas need to be relevant and flexible to the area, which includes three miles of shoreline.

Most of the graphics were overwhelming, eliciting a range of emotions, questions and comments.

Port of Olympia Commissioner EJ Zita expressed her views on mitigation and adaptation. 

“...Much of the hometown we love is going to flood. We have no choice but to adapt. Meanwhile, we can still make choices to mitigate - to slow or reduce climate change. By choosing to encourage dense urban development, especially on higher ground, we can make transportation more efficient, and preserve farmland and open spaces. By choosing renewables instead of coal in Washington State, we can make electricity cleaner. And by installing more charging stations, we can electrify vehicle transport.

“Ports can play a major role in mitigation. By cancelling the biggest oil terminal in the U.S., the Port of Vancouver discouraged oil transport and burning. Our own Port of Olympia could choose not to support fracking for fossil fuels,” she said.  

Lacey Deputy Mayor Cynthia Pratt focused her concerns on infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, fire and police stations, and the LOTT Cleanwater Alliance water and wastewater treatment plant.

“The plant represents a community investment of over $500 million dollars, and it is critical infrastructure that is essential to the continued protection of public health and our environment. It needs to be protected from sea level rise.”

She said she often hears from Lacey residents that they don't have to deal with sea level rises issues and asked Mike Strub, executive director of the LOTT Cleanwater Alliance, to explain what the impact would be to Lacey.

“When Lacey toilets back up, then they will care,” he quipped. Quickly getting serious, however, Strub explained how sea level rise will impact the whole region.

“There will be an impact on all communities. The process (of inundation) would cause the system to shut down. The Budd Inlet Treatment Plant is the mothership of the treatment system. We can keep it going for a little while, but if we lose power, we can’t get water through the plant. It wouldn’t go anywhere. It would be a serious situation. It’s a fragile line. Once that’s crossed, there are serious consequences.”

Pratt, who serves as Lacey’s representative to the LOTT Board, elaborated on her concerns to Little Hollywood after the meeting:

“LOTT will need to keep updating equipment, such as generators and pumps, which will add costs to ratepayers. I think that is an important element for Lacey because they don’t get the connection between us and Olympia’s “problem.” It’s an out-of-sight, out-of-mind issue. Obviously, if LOTT fails, there will be issues, but it also means that wastewater spills untreated into Budd Inlet....I truly think this conundrum needs to be addressed in the outreach plan. It isn’t just an Olympia, LOTT facility, Port problem but rather a system-wide issue.” 

Olympia City Councilmember Jessica Bateman asked several questions about Capitol Lake, and the assumptions used, given the possibility it could revert back to an estuary. 

The state Department of Enterprise Services is responsible for lake management. 

Andy Haub, City of Olympia water resources director for public works, responded that Capitol Lake is in the inundation zone and the intent of a plan is to accommodate whatever Capitol Lake becomes.

Port of Olympia Commissioner Bill McGregor mentioned his concerns about the protection of Cascade Pole, the former wood-treating site on port property that requires an on-site pumping and treatment system to remove contaminants from groundwater. He wondered why the state wasn’t involved in protecting its investment, since it has spent millions cleaning up the area. 

Haub admitted that Ecology nor the Department of Natural Resources has expressed interest.

Olympia City Councilmember Clark Gilman said it was hubris to try and defend what downtown looks like now and urged that environmental and social justice organizations be involved in the public planning process.

City of Tumwater councilmember Tom Oliva asked about plans to finance sea level rise planning strategies.

Haub said governing a financing plan will be hard to sustain for decades, and an umbrella organization, such as a levy or flood protection district, could be implemented.

Above: The nine-story Capitol Center Building in downtown Olympia is reflected in Capitol Lake. The artificial lake was created in 1951 through the creation of a dam that impounds the Deschutes estuary. A hearing examiner recently approved a redevelopment project for the site that would add two new, 35 foot buildings. The proposed project is within 1,000 feet of Budd Inlet and Capitol Lake.

Clarification, February 8: Lacey Deputy Mayor is on the LOTT Board and serves as the board president.

Little Hollywood regularly writes about downtown Olympia sea level rise issues. For more articles, reports, and photos, go to Little Hollywood, http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.