Grange Starbucks Expected to Open This Week

Above: The former Chambers Prairie Grange #191 has come back to life and now bears a Starbucks logo. Pending final inspections, the store at 1301 Yelm Highway in Tumwater is expected to open on Thursday.

Chambers Prairie Grange #191 Sign Comes Home

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Pending final inspections, a new Starbucks at the former Chambers Prairie Grange at 1301 Yelm Highway in Tumwater will open on Thursday.

The coffee shop is inside the 108 year old building, one of the first granges built in Thurston County, located on the corner of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard. 

In recent decades, the former grange hosted a variety of memorable events, community fundraisers, and dances, but had sat neglected for years by the time developer Tom Schrader bought it in 2015 from the Washington State Grange. 

Still, the building retained its historic character and structural integrity.

Starbucks is leasing the upstairs portion of the building from Schrader, and on Tuesday, he was on site juggling a myriad of last minute details. 

Above: Inside the former Chambers Prairie Grange #191 in Tumwater on Tuesday.

Inside, a dozen or so Starbucks employees frantically unpacked boxes full of displays, supplies and equipment which had just been delivered that morning. 

Starbucks construction manager Cheryl Nicholson managed to keep the chaos organized while setting up tables and chairs out on the deck.

The inside features exposed original beams and skylights to allow in natural light. The original glass in the windows was retained. The maple floor was taken off, exposing the original Douglas fir flooring underneath. The stage is gone, but the dark-colored wood that surrounded the stage was repurposed in portions of the floor.

Historically, granges served as the community center for social, agricultural, educational, and political activities. Many artifacts were found in the grange when Schrader purchased the building including ledgers, ribbons, and songbooks. 

For a wall display, Schrader reproduced a list written in calligraphy of grange masters dating from 1908, which features many familiar last names.  

Above: The original Chambers Prairie Grange #191 sign has come home. It will be on display inside the former grange, which has been transformed into a Starbucks.

The land use process for getting the project to this point has been a multi-year roller coaster ride, chronicled by Little Hollywood since 2015. 

But perhaps the most emotionally rewarding achievement for Schrader was his recent procurement of the large, wooden, painted chipped Chamber Prairie Grange #191 sign that hung on the outside of the building for so many years.

Schrader declined to say who had the sign, but he has worked hard to get it. After he learned who had it, he found that she was unwilling to part with it for sentimental reasons.

Two Sundays ago, Schrader said, the woman contacted him. She saw that his dream to open a community space in the former grange was finally becoming a reality and told him it was time for her to let the sign go. 

Schrader purchased it from her, and just yesterday, brought it back to the grange. To protect it from the weather, it will be hung on an inside wall.

“The sign needed to come home,” he said.

Above: Ashley Buller of Tenino, center, is the new Starbucks store manager at the former Chambers Prairie Grange on Yelm Highway. She is excited to open the store and appreciated the reuse of materials throughout the building. 

A grand opening will be scheduled in the near future. 

Store hours will be Monday through Friday, 4:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday, 5:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., and Sunday, 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

For more photos and information about the history of the Chambers Prairie Grange, the building’s purchase by Tom Schrader, and property rezones, negotiations and compromises between the City of Tumwater and Schrader, go to Little Hollywood at www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.

Sequalitchew Threatened by DuPont Warehouses

Above: DuPont Industrial Partners, LLC is proposing to build two massive warehouses near Sequalitchew Creek and the Sequalitchew Creek trail in DuPont. The peaceful trail area, abundant with wildlife, is a favorite destination for families, bird watchers, and photographers.

Public Comment Deadline is September 12

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A developer is proposing to build two industrial warehouse buildings on a vacant 21 acre piece of land located on the west side of Sequalitchew Creek in the city of DuPont in Pierce County. 

The project applicant is Eric Cederstrand, DuPont Industrial Partners, LLC, represented by Barghausen Consulting Engineers of Kent.

According to the application submitted to the city, the proposed construction of the two buildings total approximately 258,400 square feet, or over five acres. Over 70 percent of the property is expected to become impervious surface.

The warehouse facility is expected to employ 99 people. 

Sequalitchew Creek is an environmentally sensitive area on the east side of the Nisqually Reach.

Its canyon water flow comes from a variety of sources, including Sequalitchew Lake, underground springs, and smaller seeps.

A peaceful 1.5 mile walking trail follows the wooded ravine along Sequalitchew Creek. It begins at the City of DuPont’s civic center and ends at the mouth of Sequalitchew Creek and Puget Sound, just north of the Nisqually Delta. It is a favorite destination for families. 

The buffer between the proposed project and the Sequalitchew Creek trail as labeled on an attached site map is 100 feet.

The City of DuPont has reviewed the proposed project and will likely issue a Mitigated Determination of Non-significance (MDNS) for the project.

Agencies, tribes, and the public are encouraged to review and comment on the proposed project by submitting written comments to the City of DuPont by 5:00 p.m. on September 12.

Comments should be sent to Jeff Wilson, City of DuPont Community Development Director and City SEPA Official, City of DuPont, 1700 Civic Drive DuPont, WA 98327 or jwilson@dupontwa.gov.

Above: The beginning of the paved portion of the Sequalitchew Creek trail and a dirt road indicates the direction a new road would be constructed to access two proposed industrial warehouses in DuPont. The area is the former site of the historic Methodist Episcopal Mission.

The Sequalitchew area was the site of a year round village for the Sequalitchew-Nisqually Indians over 5,700 years ago. The name Sequalitchew is the Nisqually description of the sandy beach at the mouth of the creek and means big tide or long, run out tide. 

The land for the proposed warehouses is also the general site of the historic Methodist Episcopal Mission, the first non-permanent, Euro-American settlement on Puget Sound. Built in 1839, the Mission burned down in 1842.

In 1841, a second group of Americans arrived and anchored off the mouth of Sequalitchew Creek. Led by explorer Lt. Charles Wilkes, the general area is said to be the site of the first Fourth of July celebration north of the Columbia River.

According to the application, the proposal includes an expanded public right-of-way dedication to create a public plaza for historical markers as part of the development.

The vacant site will need all aspects of land preparation and infrastructure including grading, landscaping, water and sanitary sewer extensions, a stormwater collection and infiltration facility, dedications of public right-of-way, and an extension of Sequalitchew Drive.

Due to contamination, the property is subject to the terms of a 1991 consent decree between the Washington State Department of Ecology and the Weyerhaeuser Company and DuPont Company. 

Under the state Model Toxics Control Act, the companies agreed to implement remedial cleanup activities for the contaminated areas of the site. 

The property is part of the former DuPont Works site, a 3,000-acre parcel of land that at one time was the site of an industrial explosives production facility operated by the E.I. duPont de Nemours & Company. 

 

Above: A site map indicates the location of a 21 acre vacant parcel of land along Sequalitchew Creek proposed for the construction of two warehouse buildings totaling over five acres in size with related facility requirements.

Above: The nearby apartment community of Creekside Village is nestled alongside the Sequalitchew Creek trail on Sequalitchew Drive. The trail system along the creek and the historic Fort Nisqually site is a major draw for residents in DuPont.

Near the proposed warehouse site across Center Drive and the historic Fort Nisqually site, is a quiet residential neighborhood called Creekside Village. 

To access the proposed project, a cul-de-sac at the end of Sequalitchew Drive would be removed and a road would be extended through the property. Large Oregon white oak trees would also be removed.

DuPont is proud of its historic heritage and produces many events and activities around its history.

Each year in August, the City of DuPont hosts DuPont Heritage Days. On August 18-19 of this year, the DuPont Historical Society hosted reenactment activities and tours at the Fort Nisqually site.

The Hudson Bay Company arrived in 1832 on Sequalitchew Creek and built Fort Nisqually, a fur trading and agricultural settlement. The fort was later purchased by the U.S. government in 1869. 

The remaining fort structures were moved and reconstructed as a living museum in the 1930s to the Point Defiance Park in Tacoma.

Above: The city of DuPont's city hall at 1700 Civic Center Drive sits just east of Sequalitchew Creek. Access to the trailhead of the Sequalitchew Creek trail is nearby. A favorite with families, the Sequalitchew Creek Canyon features a stunning 1.5 mile walking trail that follows Sequalitchew Creek and ends at Puget Sound. 

New Hope for Former Olympia Temple

Above: New Hope Anglican Church has found a new home at 802 Jefferson Street SE, the former location of Temple Beth Hatfiloh, near downtown Olympia. Congregational members began much needed yard maintenance and interior cleaning on Saturday.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Congregational members of New Hope Anglican Church were working hard on Saturday sprucing up their new home, the former Temple Beth Hatfiloh, at 802 Jefferson Street SE, near downtown Olympia.

The building was recently purchased by local businessman Ali Raad, Marhaba Company, LLC, from Calvin Johnson, K Records, for $340,000.

The building was most recently home to K Records and has suffered a bit of abuse and neglect. The grounds have been home to the houseless for several years. 

Raad is renting the building to the church at a reduced rate in exchange for significant maintenance and repairs, inside and out. Repairs have already been made to an outside exterior area burned in a fire in 2016.  

The small, white building on the corner of Jefferson Street and Eighth Avenue was constructed in 1938. It is listed on the City of Olympia’s inventory of historic properties, but is not on any local and national historic register.

The original Star of David was removed from the building in 2017 and restored. It is now located at the current location of Temple Beth Hatfiloh at 201 Eighth Avenue.

One planned improvement to the split-level building is the installation of an elevator lift for those who need it.

Above: Reverend John Allen of New Hope Anglican Church stands in the downstairs meeting area of the former Temple Beth Hatfiloh on Saturday. Allen came to the New Hope congregation from Bellingham just a year and a half ago. 

Reverend John Allen of New Hope Anglican Church is providing fresh direction for the congregation of 35 - 45 members. The Church is less than 10 years old and meets in a variety of locations in Lacey.

“In the last year or so, we have felt a call to come to Olympia. We provide a weekly street ministry called Street Angels. We visit the homeless community, providing food, clothing, and toiletries, and talk, listen and pray with them.

“To do this through this building, being able to step into that role of ministering to the community, especially those who are struggling, is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to be here with the people of this city," said Allen.

Allen said the sanctuary will have a traditional liturgical feel and get a new coat of paint with gray-silver colored trim. The altar area will initially be decorated with green decorations.

“We’re really excited about the fact that it was once a synagogue. That was really important to our community, actually. Christ was a Jew from the time of Israel and called out to the Jewish people, so we loved the symbolism,” he said.

The congregation will be in the building before September. The sanctuary space won’t be ready by then, so they will initially meet downstairs in the coffee area.

“We’re still talking about what we’re going to do with the space, but we have dreams and hopes to make the coffee area a place for the whole community to gather. We’re small, but we have a lot of personality and a lot of talent,” Allen laughed.

The first service at the new church building will be September 2 at 10:00 a.m.

A community grand opening will be held within the next few months.

Above: The doors are open to the community once again at 802 Jefferson Street SE.

Little Hollywood has written previous stories about the former Temple Beth Hatfiloh building including,“Olympia’s Star of David Returns Home,” at https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2017/07/olympias-star-of-david-returns-home.html and “Olympia Temple Saves Star of David,” at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2017/03/olympia-temple-saves-star-of-david.html

Olympia’s Star of David Returns Home

Above: A newly restored Star of David is unveiled at a ceremony at Temple Beth Hatfiloh on Sunday afternoon. The 80 year old Star of David was removed several months ago from the Temple’s original building on Jefferson Street and returned home to the Temple at 201 Eighth Avenue in downtown Olympia.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

An intimate, emotional dedication ceremony for a recently restored Star of David was held Sunday afternoon at the Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia.

“Mah tovu,” began Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh.

Tovu, meaning fine, fair, or beauty in Hebrew, fit the restored Star of David, which Goldstein described as a simple yet striking piece of art that defines the Jewish community in Olympia and serves as a link between the past, present and future.

The Star's restoration was dedicated to Ben Bean, the son of one of Temple Beth Hatfiloh’s founders, Earl, who was instrumental in the 1938 construction of the original Temple on the corner of Jefferson Street and Eighth Avenue.

At the time of his death one year ago, Ben was one of the only original members of the congregation to have been present at the original building dedication, said Goldstein.

Saturday would have been Ben Bean’s 94th birthday, and Rabbi Goldstein and the Bean family dedicated Bean’s headstone early Sunday morning.

“Ben was our star, a beacon of light, and warmth, and joy,” said Goldstein. “Now, we dedicate the Star, for our entire community.”

About 35 Temple and community members were present, including the Bean and Goldberg families.

Dan Bean, son of Ben Bean, spoke with emotion to those gathered.

“Knowing that this Star is back home...and that members of the Bean and Goldberg families are here...is a testament to what this community means to all of us. Although Ben wasn't a particularly religious man, he was a fierce member of this Temple. He's looking down on us and he's really proud of what this community and this Temple has become,” he said.

The restoration work was done by two local businesses, Eco Woodworks and Mansion Glass, who worked in tandem on the woodwork frame and glass pieces, said Goldstein. The funds for the restoration were raised through a brief GoFundMe effort.

The Star of David will stay in the Temple's interior alcove that also serves as a nook for the Temple’s historical items of significance, such as the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Light, which was saved from the original Temple.

In closing, Rabbi Goldstein offered a prayer of dedication, in part, saying:

“…May this Star continue to be our link to the past while serving as a guide to our future. May the spirit of those who created it inspire our lives. May their hopes and dreams of a vibrant Jewish home become our hopes and dreams. May their dedication to community and tradition become our dedication, and may their prayers for continuity and commitment become our prayers.

“May this beautiful Star inspire us to live into our lives to work for justice, to explore our heritage, to build community, to laugh and cry, to eat and drink, to sing and pray, to learn and teach, together, L’dor va dor, from generation to generation. Amen.”

Above: Three generations of the Bean Family in front of the restored Star of David at Temple Beth Hatfiloh on Sunday. Left to right: Steve Bean, Dan Bean, Alec Bean, Linda (Bean) Georges, Edie Bean, Tom Bean, and Susan (Bean) Poplack.

For more information about the history of Temple Beth Hatfiloh and the Star of David restoration effort, go to Little Hollywood’s March story, “Olympia Temple Saves Star of David,” at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2017/03/olympia-temple-saves-star-of-david.html

Olympia Temple Saves Star of David

Above: Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia points toward a broken window pane on the Star of David, recently obtained from the congregation's original Temple, which was built in 1938. The Star will undergo a full restoration.“I had no idea what color it was – I just saw it from afar. I never realized it was green and purple. It’s beautiful,” said Goldstein.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Temple Beth Hatfiloh just accomplished a financial goal to preserve an 80 year old stained glass Star of David, recently removed from its original synagogue in downtown Olympia.

Through a brief GoFundMe effort, $1,608 was raised by 41 people in 13 days. The goal was to reach $1,500 goal by mid-June to receive a matching grant.

“The funds raised were not necessarily just from our congregation. I didn’t recognize some of the names of those who donated. Some may have been interested in historic preservation. Some I knew and some were from other faith communities,” said Temple Beth Hatfiloh’s Rabbi Seth Goldstein, in an interview with Little Hollywood on Friday.

“It was amazing. It’s not like this is just for us. This is for the whole community,” he said.

The Star of David is an important piece of Olympia and Washington State Jewish history.

It is in need of overall restoration and one window pane is broken, but that will be easy to replace, Goldstein said. After its restoration, it will be put on display in the synagogue.

Above: The original Temple Beth Hatfiloh at 802 South Jefferson in downtown Olympia as seen on Friday. The building is currently for sale and under contract with an undisclosed party, says the property’s listing agent.

Established in 1937, Temple Beth Hatfiloh serves the Jewish community of greater Olympia.

In 2004, the growing congregation sold the single story, wooden building at 802 South Jefferson to Calvin Johnson of K Records, and moved three blocks west to their more spacious, current location at 201 8^th Avenue.

A clause built into the Temple’s sale of the building to K Records, and any future owner, states that if there were any major renovation to the building or a demolition, the synagogue would retain possession of the Star of David and the building’s four memorial cornerstones.

“It was bittersweet when we moved, knowing we couldn’t hold onto the building. We were glad to sell it to Calvin, who we knew wouldn’t knock it down. We obviously had no control over what people did to the building, but we could at least include this one piece into the contract, reclaim the Star, and bring it back to our community,” said Goldstein.

A few months ago, someone with K Records unexpectedly informed Rabbi Goldstein that the area around the Star of David had structural issues, causing leakage issues. The Star was removed, and the area was boarded up.

Rabbi Goldstein walked to the building, thinking he would just carry the Star back to the Temple.

“It was a lot bigger than I thought and I had to go back and get the car,” he laughed. 

The Star measures about 3 ¾ feet in diameter, and was scheduled to be picked up by professional stained glass restorers on Friday.

When it is returned, Temple staff will plan a dedication ceremony of its restoration in memory of Ben Bean, who passed away this past summer. Bean was present at the Temple’s original dedication in 1938. His father, Earl Bean, headed the Temple’s building committee, along with Jacob Goldberg and Rube Cohn.

There is no place to install the Star in the current Temple on the outside of the building, so it will be placed in an interior alcove facing the front doors of the synagogue.

Above: A close up of the Temple's stained glass Star of David with a broken window pane.

According to a Thurston County historic property inventory report, the original Temple was built in 1938 using the Centralia synagogue's architectural plans. At the time it was built, the Olympia area Jewish congregation numbered sixteen. The property was purchased for $537.12.

Above: The siding of the former Temple shows damage from a fire on the Fourth of July last year. The cornerstone memorials on the building are for Isaac and Minnie Cohn, Helen Bean, Fanny Goldberg, and Getz Neishuler.

Membership grew to about 80 families during the 1970s and 1980s, due, in part, to the establishment of The Evergreen State College. 

The congregation later affiliated itself with the Reconstructionist Movement in 2001. Reconstructionists define themselves as progressive, pluralistic, democratic, and communal, according to the Temple’s website.

The Temple’s membership now numbers about 160 families and serves other community members as well, said Rabbi Goldstein.

Acknowledging the many sweet memories associated with the original Temple, Goldstein said that the congregation once explored keeping the original Temple as an annex.

“We even thought, for about five minutes, that we could move it to our current location, similar to what the synagogue in Boise did,” Goldstein laughed. “They moved their building - it’s gorgeous - but, for us, it just wasn’t feasible.” 

The building was damaged in a Fourth of July fire in 2016, and is in need of repairs. K Records moved out, and the building is currently for sale. The listing price is $399,000 and is now under contract, said Brad Kisor, the property’s Coldwell Banker listing agent, on Friday. Kisor declined to disclose the interested buyer.

The building is listed on the City of Olympia’s inventory of historic properties, but is not on any local or national historic register.

Blintzapalooza

Temple Beth Hatfiloh has a wide variety of spiritual life and learning events and classes for its members and the community.

The Temple’s popular Blintzapalooza, an annual fundraiser for local nonprofit organizations, is on Sunday, March 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 201 8^th Avenue.

Temple members and community volunteers will serve blintzes and bagels with lox and cream cheese in the synagogue’s social hall. A used book sale in the synagogue’s second floor classrooms will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Frozen blintzes by the dozen and canvas grocery totes will also be for sale. Only cash and checks will be accepted.

The event also features a cooking/baking competition for the region’s best kugels. Awards designed by local artist Jean Mandeberg will be presented to the bakers of the winning kugels. Judges for this year's competition are Abbie Rose of Bagel Brothers, Jeremy Schwartz of San Francisco Street Bakery, and Lisa David of Nineveh Assyrian Food Truck.

The beneficiaries of the proceeds from this year's event are Cielo Project/Radio Ranch, Nisqually Land Trust, Thurston County Teen Council of Planned Parenthood, and League of Women Voters of Thurston County.

For more information about Temple Beth Hatfiloh, go to www.bethhatfiloh.com or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/bethhatfiloh

Owls Occupy Old Brewhouse Tower in Tumwater

Above: On a tour organized by the Old Brewhouse Foundation in October 2014, City of Tumwater councilmember Tom Oliva, in dark coat, stands on the sixth floor of the Old Brewhouse tower, and looks up at the photographer who is in an upper loft of the tower under the copper roof. Owl droppings litter the floor. It is anticipated that the owls will be relocated before the tower undergoes temporary repairs, window closures, and weatherization this winter.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Barn owls have occupied Tumwater’s vacant Old Brewhouse tower for years, but they will not rule the roost for much longer.

In a meeting last month of the Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission, commissioners approved, with conditions, a certificate of appropriateness so the city can begin temporary weatherization efforts of the tower.

The 110 year old Old Brewhouse is a historic landmark, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It has been on a watch list by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and is also in Tumwater's Historic Brewery District.

Obtaining a certificate of appropriateness by the commission ensures that any alteration, demolition, or new construction to the historic site is consistent with the property's character. The step is also necessary to move forward with permitting. 

The commissioners took their time at the September 8 meeting to express concern for the owls, ask extensive questions about the types of materials to be used in repairs and weatherization, the methodology for anchoring a temporary roof, and the appearance of the temporary fixes.

One of the conditions for approval was assurance from staff that they would learn more about the barn owls and figure out how to relocate them before installing a temporary roof and sealing up about 55 windows.

Barn owls are a protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

After consulting with biologist Michelle Tirhi of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife after the meeting, city staff learned that they must place owl boxes elsewhere on the property in hopes that the owls in the tower will be convinced that they should go elsewhere.

Contacted by Little Hollywood, Tirhi said barn owls often seek out older, seldom used outbuildings for nesting, like barns and old buildings. Barn owls are done nesting for the season and this is a great time to construct and place nest boxes, and then seal them out of their current location.   

The boxes should be installed as close to where the owls currently enter and exit the building. 

Tirhi said she is hopeful the city or volunteers will continue to monitor the boxes so that they can be protected, repaired, or replaced over time, as needed, for the sake of the owls.

The City of Tumwater acquired the tower in an agreement with owner George Heidgerken in May. Heidgerken and his company, Falls Development LLC, owns the 32 acre area around the Old Brewhouse property, roughly bounded by Custer Way to the south, the Deschutes River to the west, Capitol Lake to the north, and the railroad to the east. 

As of this week, there is still no update on the placement of the nesting boxes.

“We’re working with George (Heidgerken) to get permission to install them on site in a variety of locations that are appealing to owls. Then, it will be safe to seal up the Old Brewhouse,” said assistant city administrator and brewery property manager Heidi Behrends Cerniway.

In the meantime, the building continues to deteriorate. In a process called “spalling,” bricks literally fly off the tower, as moisture causes the mortar to expand and contract with weather temperatures, thus dislodging the bricks. 

Behrends Cerniwey told the seven member commission that whenever she visits the site, new bricks are laying on the ground around the tower.

The city hopes to have the temporary protections and weatherization efforts complete by the end of the year.

Above: The southeast corner of the Old Brewhouse tower of the fourth floor shows a dramatic decay of bricks and exposure to the elements.

Regarding the appearance of the repairs, there will be no unsightly blue tarps, but a temporary roof is expected to stay put for one to four years while funding is secured for a permanent roof and window materials.

The windows could be boarded up with plywood from the inside, and perhaps shaped to fit the window, but some windows may have a clear weather resistant material instead, to allow in light. Some may stay open to allow for minimal ventilation. There is no electrical power or heating inside the building.

The city’s consultant, Cardinal Architecture, produced a detailed tower protection and renovation report in May. It estimated that a temporary roof structure would cost about $97,750, and temporary windows and door panels would cost about $21,250.

Because they will be temporary - immediate protections meant to reduce the rate of decay - the city says it will not go through a formal bidding process, and the work will be done with volunteer labor and donated materials.

This was another aspect of significant discussion, as commissioners did not want to find themselves in a situation similar to that of the City of Olympia when it attempted to use the donated services of Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers to demolish two blighted buildings on the isthmus in downtown Olympia last year.

One of those organizations donating services is the nonprofit Old Brewhouse Foundation.

Rob Kirkwood, president of the nonprofit, has already built four owl boxes, donated an additional owl box, and provides informal input on how to approach the project and what is needed to be done in terms of professional services.

The City of Tumwater will begin permanent restoration efforts as soon as funds become available through grants, capital giving campaigns, and other sources. The project, when complete, is expected to cost about six million dollars.

So far, the only funding the City of Tumwater has on hand for the tower’s restoration is $14,500, an amount earned from the Conservation Futures fund for trail easements that will be donated back to the city. Another $288,000 is coming through the city’s lodging tax funds.

“We’ve been doing our homework about a capital campaign, and working on a funding strategy to raise private and foundation dollars as a match for state grants such as the Heritage Capital Project Fund (HCPF). We did apply for a HCPF grant of $500,000 for the 2017-2019 biennium, but it requires a match of two to one to begin the first phase of restoration,” said Behrends Cerniway.

Above: Local naturalist Nancy Partlow of Tumwater holds barn owl pellets on a tour of the Old Brewhouse property and the tower in October 2014. Partlow documents and contributes many of her observations on a local blog, Bees, Birds & Butterflies, at www.olypollinators.blogspot.com and has known about the owls in the tower for many years.

“It's a perfect setup for them, protected, but with open and easy access to prey. Their nests are simply scraped together regurgitated owl pellets, which are the fur and bones left over after the rest of its prey has been digested. Nature's recycling at work, but also an interesting way for owls to raise young, on the remains of their victims,” says Partlow. 

For more interior and exterior pictures and information about the Old Brewhouse, Tumwater, the planned action for the historic property, George Heidgerken, Falls Development LLC, stop work orders, groundwatering monitoring, and other issues related to the property, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search engine.

For the benefits of owls in Washington and providing for them, go here: http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/owls.html

Owl nest box designs:  http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/projects/barnowl.html

Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a page on installing barn owl nest boxes:

 http://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/birds/barn-owl/

For more about the Migratory Species Act, go to: https://www.fws.gov/birds/management/managed-species/migratory-bird-treaty-act-protected-species.php