Chambers Prairie Grange May Be Saved – Again

Above: Chambers Prairie Grange building owner Tom Schrader arrives at his property at the intersection of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard in Tumwater. Instead of demolishing the former grange, Schrader now plans to turn it into a Starbucks. He is in the process of purchasing the adjacent property, above, from The Farm Homeowners Association.

Starbucks Still in the Picture, Possibly in the Grange

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com
A Little Hollywood Land Use Investigation - Continued

In late April, Little Hollywood broke the news that Chambers Prairie Grange property owner Tom Schrader was planning to demolish the 107 year old former grange and that he had entered into negotiations with Starbucks to build a new 4,000 square foot building on the Tumwater property.

The news surprised, confused, and angered many Tumwater city officials and community members.

In early May, City of Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet and several city staff members met with Schrader to discuss the future of the building and negotiated a series of understandings regarding right of way, new building requirements, a rezone of the adjacent acreage currently owned by The Farm Homeowners Association, a proposed drive thru, and setbacks.

Schrader has not yet filed a formal land use application or submitted final designs to the city but now, instead of demolishing the grange and building a stand-alone building, the grange is expected to be turned into a Starbucks, says Schrader.

Time will tell. The building is not listed on any historic register.

In his haste to move the project along, Schrader had filed a request for an emergency rezone of adjacent property belonging to The Farm in June but Mayor Kmet and the city didn’t see a way to declare it an emergency if Schrader was going to raze the grange and build a new building. 

City staff negotiated several sticking points with Schrader so, as far as the city is concerned, the former Chambers Prairie Grange can stay where it is, and does not have to be moved to accommodate future expansion to the Henderson Boulevard and Yelm Highway intersection.

Schrader purchased the grange building in 2015 and announced he wanted to save it and convert it into a neighborhood coffee and sandwich shop. After verbal miscommunications with the city and receiving a rezone of the property in late 2016, he declared that the building could not be saved and began dismantling the interior.

As part of the negotiations to spare the grange from outright demolition, the Tumwater city council approved the sponsoring of a comprehensive plan map amendment and the associated rezone of an adjacent property owned by The Farm Homeowners Association, but not without some questions and comment, at their meeting Tuesday evening.

Getting the amendment and rezone on the city’s work docket allows staff to study the issue.

The Farm and a Proposed Rezone

The area being considered for a rezone is part of The Farm Homeowners Association property to the west and south of the grange on Yelm Highway.

Once an agricultural area, the grange is now surrounded by a tangle of different zoning categories.

Schrader has long been interested in this property in order to have more space to develop his property.

The purchase is still not final, but The Farm Homeowners Association community approved the sale of its property to Schrader in concept on May 25. The vote was 81 to 8 in favor of the sale, said Schrader.

Depending on the outcome of a property survey, the property is between 18,000 and 22,500 square feet in size and will cost Schrader about $100,000.

A developer agreement between Schrader and The Farm is also being prepared and expected to be finished next month. The city is drafting the agreement and must approve it before the rezone is granted.

The proposed amendment would change the Comprehensive Plan map designation of a portion of the parcel from Single Family Low Density (SFL) to Public Institutional (PI) and the zone district designation from Single Family Low Density (SFL) to Community Services (CS) to match the comprehensive plan amendment and associated rezone done for the former grange property in 2016.

Once the docket becomes final, staff will review the proposed amendment as part of their 2017 long range plan work program. The final docket review will start with a Planning Commission review and recommendation process that will begin in September.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Councilmember Nicole Hill wondered about setting a precedent for rezoning an open space tract to a different use. Staff agreed that the question was a “worthwhile concern,” but said that it is not clear from the record how it became open space, and that it is a remnant area fenced off from The Farm subdivision.

Members of the council and the Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission have been polite, but have indicated that they felt duped into the 2016 rezone from single family low density to community service, having been swayed by Schrader’s enthusiasm and promise that the grange and its historic character and integrity would be saved.

At a previous council meeting, Kmet admitted they all should have asked more questions and asked for a developer’s agreement at the time of the rezone of the grange property.

Schrader says Starbucks is willing to wait for the proposed rezone process to be complete. A few months ago, they did not prefer to be in the old grange building, but now, he said, they may be open to ideas.

Schrader went to Seattle on Tuesday morning to meet with Starbucks representatives to discuss his latest architectural drawings and ideas. Schrader says he wants Starbucks on the top floor of the grange, and he will keep the basement for parties and events.

Above: The basement of the Chambers Prairie Grange as seen in November, 2015.

Along with other changes, Schrader says that he has already taken out the floor and walls, and the stage will be taken out. In a 2015 interview, Schrader said he would save the stage.

With the historic integrity of the building and its surroundings slated to be dramatically altered, including the cutting down of at least three large Douglas fir trees and one maple tree to make a drive thru, it is uncertain whether or not the deal will be worthwhile to some historic preservationists.

At their last meeting, members of the city’s Tumwater Historic Preservation Committee discussed their desire to tour the property and see the inside of the grange.

Mike Matlock, community development director for the City of Tumwater, says the city is only interested in exterior appearances.

Dave Nugent, president of The Farm subdivision, says members of The Farm want the exterior appearance of the grange retained as a notable landmark, saying the grange is integral to his neighborhood.

Grange members built the hall on land donated by the Wickie Family, completing the structure in 1910, one of the first in Thurston County.

When Nugent was informed that Schrader visited Starbucks representatives with designs showing Starbucks in the grange, the news concerned him.

“Putting Starbucks in the grange without losing its historic integrity is something. The more he starts to modify the building the more he’ll lose the protections the city has offered him….It’s certainly gone back and forth. It is our hope that the grange is kept there. We want to see that corner taken care of,” said Nugent.

Nugent said Schrader has a lot to get done before The Farm sells their property to him, but strongly believes Schrader always intended to save the grange.

As for the building’s interior, he hopes Starbucks will want to tell the story of the grange and its history through pictures and design.

Nugent says he knows some trees will be lost and doesn’t think the neighborhood will be impacted. With the proceeds from the sale of the property, The Farm intends to create a barrier between the subdivision and the property to minimize noise and light pollution, and make other safety and beautification enhancements to the neighborhood.

“The sale of our property (to Schrader) is fortuitous. Neighbors are looking forward to the whole idea of going over there to get coffee and pastries and have it be a gathering spot,” said Nugent.

Above: A lot of traffic passes in front of the Chambers Prairie Grange on Sunday afternoon at the intersection of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard. Construction is ongoing for an active senior living facility across the street.

The Art of the Deal...Tumwater Style

In a development process that sounds a bit like learning how sausage is made, communications between Schrader and the city have improved in the last few months, particularly after an early May meeting resulted in negotiations laid out in print.

In a May 6 email, Mayor Pete Kmet wrote Schrader that if he wants to preserve the current building in place, the city is willing to support a vacation of a portion of the city's right of way on Henderson that the building encroaches on, in exchange for additional right of way on Yelm Highway where the stairs are, with removal of the stairs.

The city is also willing to support a waiver to the twelve foot sidewalk requirement along Henderson and Yelm Highway and reduce this to a six foot wide sidewalk and support a waiver to reduce the ten foot building setback and landscaping requirement so the grange does not need to be moved.

Regarding a drive thru, city code prohibits the placement of a drive thru window between a building and the street. Kmet said the city would not support a variance from this requirement. 

“With acquisition of the Farm’s parcel, it appears possible to achieve sufficient queuing to enable provision of a drive thru window on the west side of either the existing or a new building,” he wrote. 

The rezone of The Farm parcel and vacation of a portion of the right of way on Henderson Boulevard are dependent on city council approval. Similarly, any variances depend on a hearing examiner decision.

Schrader is thrilled with the negotiations with the city, and if he gets the rezone, says his intent is to combine the properties and provide full service access points with left and right ingress and egress on both Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard.

“This is huge - now the entrance and exit for this corner is much easier for everyone….Things sometimes have a way of coming back around for the good. I will be keeping the grange, and buying the extra property…I can now go back to doing what I had always hoped for, and that is to restore and keep the grange,” Schrader said.

For more photos and information about the Chambers Prairie Grange and its history, and Tom Schrader, and go to Little Hollywood, http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type keywords into the search engine.

Chambers Prairie Grange Rezone Passes Tumwater City Council

Above: Long shadows are cast across the Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191 on Thursday morning. The Tumwater City Council passed a rezone for the property, which stands at the crossroads of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard. Owner Tom Schrader is now looking for a suitable local business that will honor the spirit of the rezone, and accommodate a community service in the 106 year old building.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

“Within Grangers, ideas are born, and in the Grange, they become a reality,” reads a slogan in a vintage Washington State Granger’s guide. 

That slogan takes on special meaning now as Tom Schrader moves closer to his dream of converting the vacant 106 year old building into a vibrant place of community once again. 

Schrader and his wife, Tiffany, purchased the property last year and have worked with neighbors to address their concerns regarding its future use and traffic.

City of Tumwater council members passed a comprehensive plan amendment at their October 25 meeting, changing the zoning of the Chamber Prairie Grange, located at 1301 Yelm Highway SE, from single family low density (SFL) to community service (CS).

Under the SFL zoning, the former Grange could have been torn down to build four to seven homes or duplexes, among other uses. The zoning change to community service limits how commercial the site could be developed and protects the property from becoming a gas station, a mini-mart, or a five story commercial building.

Several spoke in support of the rezone, including Dave Nugent, president of The Farm homeowners association, an adjacent subdivision.

Nugent addressed the council, saying The Farm board is so confident in Schrader’s dedication to the Grange’s future that a developer agreement is no longer needed. To determine the project’s impact, Nugent asked for the city's assistance in monitoring traffic patterns before and after completion of the project.

Lloyd Flem of Olympia, a retired professional planner who served on Olympia’s planning committee in the 1990s, said the rezone was a perfect example of adaptive reuse to preserve an important piece of the community’s history.

Schrader announced at the meeting that he and his wife would most likely not sell the property as planned, but select and help manage the business that ends up there.

“We are really happy for everyone - neighbors, friends, family, and community - that we can now do something on that corner that will be a place for the community!” said Schrader after the meeting.

Schrader has tried to garner the interest of local businesses in his idea to convert the building, while retaining its historic character, into a coffee and sandwich shop and meeting place, but has found it to be a tough sell without knowing whether the rezone would pass.

“I have spoken with a lot of local businesses - Batdorf & Bronson, Meconi's, Vic's Pizza, Olympia Coffee Roasters, Budd Bay Cafe, Dancing Goats, Starbucks, Cutter's Point, and Royal Bean Coffee. I have also been contacted by Wendy's, Carl's Jr., Taco Time, and Chipotle too,” says Schrader, who quickly added that he is not interested in those latter fast food businesses.

“There wasn’t much teeth in my sales pitch or delivery before, but now I can move forward,” he said.

Before any further physical change to the building can take place, such as putting on a cedar shake roof, Schrader needs to have a tenant in place, so that changes are made to fit the specific requirements of the new business.

“In the next few weeks, my wife and I will decide the best fit for the property and our community. It's an important corner, and I want to be known as a responsible and sensible person. I want to see people there, and have it be a happy place!”

The Washington State Grange came into existence Sept. 10, 1889 as a protest by farmers against intolerable conditions – against poverty, extortionate taxes, freight rates and mortgage interest, and government control of state government by selfish interests.

The Chambers Prairie Grange, No. 191 Patrons of Husbandry principal place of business was the hall, located on what was then called Route #2 in Thurston County.

According to its nonprofit articles of incorporation, the Grange’s purpose was to “educate along the lines of social, moral, and educational betterment,” and “to inculcate into the minds of the membership the benefits of cooperation.”

Little did Grangers know that decades later, Tom Schrader, with his infectious energy and enthusiasm, would be saving their most treasured asset - their building - to become a place of community, cooperation, and commerce once again.

For more photos, history, and current information about the Chambers Prairie Grange, Tom Schrader, the rezone effort, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search engine. Previous stories are dated November 29, 2015 and May 28, 2016.

Above: Tom Schrader holds a Grange piece of history: an old Olympia Federal Savings and Loan Association check register, found in the Chambers Prairie Grange building after he took ownership of it last year.

Chambers Prairie Grange Rezone Recommendation Passes Tumwater Planning Commission

Above:  Tom Schrader untangles the American flag on the historic former Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191 on the corner of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard in Tumwater on Saturday afternoon. 

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

“Everyone honks and wants to talk about the Grange! When I first put up the flag, I was coming down the ladder and didn't even get to the bottom rung. A guy who looked about 35 years old was standing there. He had stopped his car in the middle of the right lane, jumped out, had his hand out, and just said, ‘Thank you - I'm Chuck - really, thank you!’ I said thanks, and before I could say anything else, he was off to his car. Pretty cool….” said Tom Schrader, owner of the Chambers Prairie Grange.

Every day, tens of thousands of eyes are on the property at 1301 Yelm Highway SE. 

The Grange, built in 1910, sits on the somewhat confusing crossroads to and from the cities of Tumwater and Olympia.

Schrader is full of stories told by well-wishers who thank him for buying the property. Supporters often come in the form of visitors walking by, enthusiastic honking from drivers, happy shouts, and hand waving as he works on the property.

Saturday afternoon was no different. Cars honked in continuous, apparent appreciation

as Little Hollywood met Schrader at the property. 

The mossy covered roof is noticeably scraped clean and will soon be replaced with cedar shakes.

The inside is now cleaned out on both floors, the old heat systems and exposed ducts have been removed, new electrical service panels have been installed, a natural gas line and meter has been installed by Puget Sound Energy, remnants of a previously cut down old maple tree and brush have been removed, and architectural and engineering remodel plans have been completed and submitted to the city. 

Meetings with The Farm Homeowners Association, which is adjacent to the property, are ongoing.

Above: Electrical work by Lassen Electric and tree removal was underway in December 2015 at the Chambers Prairie Grange.

Schrader and his wife Tiffany purchased the building in October 2015 with the intention of restoring it and converting it into a neighborhood coffee and sandwich shop.

In order to make that vision happen, the parcel needs to be rezoned. The Tumwater Planning Commission held a public hearing at Tumwater City Hall on Tuesday evening, then passed a site specific rezone recommendation. The recommendation now goes to the Tumwater City Council.

Once in an agricultural area, the Grange is now surrounded by a tangle of different zoning categories.

City staff recommended that the Planning Commission pass the rezone from Single Family Low Density Residential to a category called Community Service, on the basis that the rezone was consistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan goals.

The room was packed with those wishing to speak at the hearing, most of whom spoke in support of the rezone.

The board of the 95 lot subdivision called The Farm took a neutral position, saying that there is general agreement that it would be in the neighborhood’s best interest for the property to be improved and maintained.

Several residents spoke in opposition to the rezone on the basis of increased traffic, noise, and light concerns. Some did not understand or see the need for a rezone.

City staff said that the current zoning allows up to six single family lots on that parcel and the rezone is below the required threshold for a full traffic impact analysis.

Schrader addressed neighbor concerns in detail and offered to install traffic calming devices within The Farm. He is also open to negotiating specific deed restrictions for behaviors on the property.  He has already agreed to not be open past 10 p.m. on any day, and not past 9 p.m. on Sundays.

Schrader has been open about the fact that he intends to sell the property. It is currently listed for sale, with conditions, for $450,000. A prospective buyer must keep the Grange and work in cooperation with The Farm to keep it in community use. He says he is in conversation with several local businesses who have expressed interest in the property.

“We’re not in the bistro business, or in the historic preservation business….We wanted to keep the Grange, restore it historically, look around, and see that this was great that this was done. It’s going to be something you can be proud of ….It will be a neighborhood bistro. It won’t be a pool hall with fight nights,” Schrader told the planning commissioners at the hearing.

“The zoning change we are requesting is CS, Community Service, which would allow us to keep the Grange, but more importantly, limit how commercial the site could be developed. The CS zoning would actually protect against the property becoming a gas station, or 7-11 minimart, or a five story commercial building….businesses we don’t want at this site, and in this neighborhood,” said Schrader.

A Community Service zone allows at least 22 permitted uses, including general offices, educational institutions and services, a post office or parcel delivery facility, a museum, library, or art gallery, a child care center, an adult family home, a community garden or a farmers market.

Schrader and his wife are former residents of The Farm and Holiday Hills on Ward Lake and began speaking with neighbors at The Farm even before they purchased the property.

The Schrader's knew that a similar application was filed in 2012 by the Washington State Grange for the parcel to be rezoned to mixed use. That group did not speak with neighbors ahead of time, resulting in a poor relationship between the Grange and the neighbors.

“I want to win not for us, but for the Grange and the property…we’re deeply rooted to that corner,” said Schrader.

“…We are aware of possible unsafe traffic through a residential community. With our young kids, as with all parents, safety was always a concern for us…but remember, even without the rezone approval, the site will be developed, and traffic mitigation measures would still need to be reviewed….The new CS Community Service zoning helps keep the historic Grange, and for a use that the Tumwater community will enjoy for decades to come.”

The Planning Commission was unanimous in its recommendation to rezone the Grange parcel.

Commission chair Deborah Reynolds called Schrader's offer to provide traffic calming devices in the subdivision “generous.”  

Commissioner Nancy Stevenson spoke in support of the rezone, citing the historic value of the Grange, and the unique sense of place it provides the neighborhood.

Commissioner Michael Althauser said he appreciated Schrader’s intentionality and due diligence in meeting with members of The Farm subdivision to address their concerns.

“Ever since I was a little kid I’ve slowly watched it decay over time. It will be a great community center and entrance to Tumwater,” he said.

“It’s the creation of a third place to gather. It would be primarily for people who live nearby. Each neighborhood should have a non-motorized (way to get to a) place to gather,” agreed Commissioner Joel Hansen.

Asked later about the Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard intersection, and whether a roundabout is in its future, Jay Eaton, City of Tumwater director of public works, said the intersection is currently operating at an acceptable level of service. 

“The projections out to 2040 show that, at some point, the intersection level of service will fall below desirable.  Improvements to the intersection could include expansion of the intersection to include a second westbound left turn on to Henderson Boulevard or it could include the construction of a roundabout.  Either option would likely provide an acceptable solution,” said Eaton.

Eaton said about 30,000 vehicles per day use the intersection. A little over 3,100 vehicles use the intersection in the afternoon peak hour. 

Indeed, the area is busy. Several pedestrians walked past the Grange property on their way to the Briggs YMCA and Kettle Park to walk their dogs.

Earlier this week, a woman driving by the property in a motorized wheelchair inquired what was going on with the property. After a thorough explanation by Little Hollywood, the woman said she was supportive of the project and would be first in line for a cup of coffee. 

Little Hollywood first reported in November 2015 that the Schrader's had bought the Grange. For photos and the story, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

Above: A vintage songbook found in the Grange reminds us all to have fun. (Click on image to enlarge and sing along!)

Chambers Prairie Grange in Tumwater Gets New Chance at Life

Above: The Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191 on the corner of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard in Tumwater was purchased by Tom and Tiffany Schrader in October for $200,000. Photo taken January 10, 2014.

The Schrader’s want to convert the former Grange into a neighborhood coffee and sandwich shop and bistro that can also accommodate meetings,birthday parties, reunions, and more. The Grange property is currently zoned single family low density and will need to be rezoned to accommodate this vision.

Owners Hope Historic Preservation Will Create Community Space

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Tom Schrader has driven by the moss covered Chambers Prairie Grange on the southwest corner of Henderson Boulevard and Yelm Highway in Tumwater for years. He and his wife, Tiffany, a third generation South Sound resident, raised their two children nearby, all of whom graduated from Tumwater High School.

Schrader, a commercial real estate agent for Re/Max Parkside who is actively involved in the Thurston County Board of Realtors, loves history. He says he tracked the property for years as the sale price was gradually reduced from $450,000, and bought it in late October for $200,000 from the Washington State Grange. 

Located at 1301 Yelm Highway, the Grange was valued at $315,900 by the Thurston County Assessor’s Office in 2015 and is not on any historic register or inventory.

The building was once earmarked as a museum for the State Grange, but that had been off the table for years. The Grange paid over $25,000 in taxes on it since 2010.

The wooden, one story, 5,668 square foot building sits on .91 acres, and despite appearances, is structurally sound. The roof doesn’t leak, the original maple wood flooring is relatively unmarked, and the full basement still contains multiple, long, solid tables suitable for dining and entertaining.

Remarkably, the building has been untouched by vandals, and still features the original wavy glass windows.

Schrader is now in the process of getting the building registered on the national and state historical registers through the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.

Since October, Schrader and helpers have been seen actively working to clear blackberry brambles and brush and scraping the moss off the roof. They have hauled away 2,500 pounds of appliances, recyclables and trash items left in and around the property. Schrader also took out the original oil boiler and ducting, but the old wood burning stove is still there, and will be kept.

Asked if he has the original sign that hung on the front of the building that said, “Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191,” Schrader says he does not.

“I don't have the sign, but I would love to buy it back from whoever does! If I don't find it, I'm going to have a replica made of wood looking as close as possible to the old sign, and hang it in the same spot on the front of the building,” says Schrader.

Above: With the plywood off the windows, sunbeams once again shine forth, warming the maple wood floor of the Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191 on Saturday afternoon.

Historically, granges served as the community center for social, agricultural, educational and political activities for farmers, and the Chambers Prairie Grange was in the thick of the action.

According to the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, the Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191 was organized in 1906 by Fred W. Lewis and reorganized in March, 1908. Grange members built the hall through donated work on land donated by the Wickie Family, completing the structure in 1910. The Chambers Prairie Grange was one of the first in Thurston County.

Above: Schrader has found a few Grange related treasures in the building, including an Olympia Federal Savings and Loan Association bank register, and this purple Grange “10% Net Gain” ribbon from 1957-58.

Schrader’s Vision for the Property

Schrader is working with several engineers and contractors to develop designs for the building. To create a place for community members, he envisions it as a coffee and sandwich shop and bistro. He has already spoken with the local coffee business owners of Olympia Coffee Roasting Company and Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters to assess their interest.

Schrader wants to restore the space with a thick shake roof and original period fixtures and fans. The new front entrance facing the west side of the building would feature French doors and a large deck.

Inside, he will keep the stage and changing rooms. The basement will feature a new kitchen and would be suitable for meetings, family reunions, birthday parties, and more.

The capacity for the entire building was 378 persons – 119 downstairs and 259 upstairs, but Schrader expects this number to possibly increase.

The building is on a well and water and sewer hook up will most likely be from the City of Tumwater. It currently has no power and he has met with Puget Sound Energy to hook up to electricity and natural gas. He says he should have the building up and running in a couple months.

Schrader has developed a plan for 40 parking stalls and plans to keep every large tree on site – several maples, cedars and firs - with the exception of two for the flow of parking. Because it was diseased, a large maple tree was cut down about three years ago by the Grange.

“I want to create a center island of trees that’s natural, with a little trail so you can walk through the trees after you buy an ice cream cone or a sandwich, and sit and talk - a community type area with picnic tables and benches. There could even be a small outdoor organic fruit and vegetable stand….” Schrader said.

Above: The Chambers Prairie Grange as seen this week. New owner Tom Schrader envisions this side, the west side, as the front entrance for a coffee and sandwich shop. 

Zoning Issues 

The Grange, once located in an agricultural area, is at the physical crossroads of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard, and the cities of Tumwater and Olympia.

Northeast of the Grange, Briggs Nursery was replaced by Briggs East Village and is now a 200 unit development for active adults called Silver Leaf.

Northwest of the Grange is the Briggs YMCA and the 137 acre master planned Briggs Village.

East of the Grange is the Tsuki Nursery, a wholesale nursery business specializing in Japanese garden plants, and it is on the market.

As an agent with ReMax/Parkside, Schrader represents the Tsuki Nursery, which is being sold by Phil Hulbert.  The property is currently in Thurston County with Olympia Urban Growth Area jurisdiction, Zoned Residential 4-8.

“They have submitted to the City of Olympia for annexation into the city. This will most likely be heard in the next two months. The two adjacent properties are part of the annexation request, making a total of eight acres. I have one of these two properties listed for sale, a residence at 1707 Yelm Hwy for $315,000. The Tsuki property has been listed four months at $1,499,000. It's 5.03 acres on two parcels,” says Schrader.

Schrader addressed both the Tumwater City Council and the Tumwater Historic Preservation Committee in late November to share his ideas for the building and is also working closely with the nearby Farm Homeowners Association.

The Grange property is currently zoned single family low density. Under that zoning, some of the allowed uses under the Tumwater Zoning Title 18 (18.10 chapter) are single family homes/duplex dwellings, mobile homes, childcare center, adult family center, church, bed and breakfast, community center, and others.

Schrader doesn’t want to see any of those options occur, so he will file with the City of Tumwater on December 7 for a zoning change to accommodate his vision. He is not sure yet what zoning he will pursue. The city only hears rezoning cases once a year, so it may take until May or June for the Tumwater city council to hear his request.

As a former resident of The Farm subdivision, he understands concerns by the neighborhood surrounding future uses on the property. They do not want traffic to spill out from the business onto Henderson Boulevard and then turn into their subdivision, so he is working with the Association to provide the sole access and exit off Yelm Highway.

“The previous owner, the State Grange, tried in 2012 to change the zoning to mixed use. They hadn't consulted with The Farm or other neighbors, and the change essentially scared the heck out of them. There could have been a Texaco gas station, 7-11, Burger King drive thru, or a Starbucks.... all of which I would not want there! I want something the neighborhood wants, and I spent a lot of time talking with neighbors before I bought it,” said Schrader.

“I want the focus to be on local community use, where neighbors can walk, bike, roller skate, jog and stop there to visit and catch up with each other….To get an early morning coffee before a local stroll, or a sandwich after working out at the Briggs YMCA, or an appetizer/dessert on the deck on a warm summer night while enjoying a fine wine….To be able to walk along the trail with a friend, son or daughter, grandchild… and sit at a picnic table or bench, and enjoy the tall trees… and discuss life, love and family!” says Schrader.

Schrader is optimistic that his ideas for a community space will be approved.

“When I’m out here, people pull in and want to talk and tell me stories about the area,” says Schrader.

Above: A silhouette of Tom Schrader as viewed through the Chamber Prairie Grange's coat and purse check window near the front door facing Henderson Boulevard. Schrader envisions maintaining the original north facing doors as emergency exits, and placing French doors and a large deck on the west side of the building as the new main entrance.

There are several active Grange chapters in Thurston County. For more information about their activities, go to www.wa-grange.com. 

To read about the history of Washington State Granges, go to www.historylink.org.