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!)

Arts Walk and Arab Festival Offer Culture

By Janine Unsoeld
www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The weather cooperated all weekend, and Arts Walk continued on Saturday in downtown Olympia, with some exhibits scheduled to be on display throughout the month. The pace on Saturday was quieter, and allowed more time to see art and speak with artists about their work.

 

Above: Pianist Luke Davis, 16, played outside Browser’s Bookstore on Capitol Way for Arts Walk. Davis said he’s been playing for eight years and has participated at Arts Walk for six years. He attends Black Hills High School. He says donations are going toward his college fund, and parts for his car. “My window isn’t staying up,” he said.

Above: Members of Shahrazad dance Ensemble of Seattle perform at the Olympia Arab Festival yesterday at The Olympia Center.

The Olympia Arab Festival

Coinciding with Arts Walk was the Olympia Arab Festival, sponsored by the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace & Justice.

The theme of its second annual event was “Shuruq II,” which means sunrise. In a celebration of Arab culture, the event featured food, performances, speakers, and children’s activities.

Rachel Corrie, Olympia, was killed in the Gaza Strip in 2003 as she tried to prevent the demolition of the home of two Palestinian families.

The Rachel Corrie Foundation was established by Rachel’s family to continue the work that she hoped to accomplish. The Foundation conducts and supports programs that foster connections between people that build understanding, respect and appreciation for differences.

Above: Laith Amireh, 20, of Amman, Jordan, attends Bellevue College and is taking courses in computer science and programming. He says he enjoys being part of the Arabic Culture Student Association, which has 138 members. For more information about the club, go to www.learnarabicculture.org. This is the club’s first visit to Olympia.

Above: The Olympia-Rafah Sister City Mural Project on Capitol Way and State Street in downtown Olympia. For taped recorded information about the wall and the artists, call (360) 252-9779.

Above: Omar demonstrates the fine art of Arabic coffee making at the Olympia-Rafah Mural today. The smell was irresistible. The result of just one cup made for a very productive afternoon and evening! The site at the mural featured a hookah lounge at last night’s Arts Walk.

For more information about the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace & Justice, go to www.rachelcorriefoundation.org.

Arts Walk is sponsored by the City of Olympia Arts Commission and the Department of Parks, Arts & Recreation with plenty of support by local businesses and artists. For more information about Arts Walk, go to www.olympiawa.gov/parks.