Olympia Ice Rink Opens

Above: Skaters of all ages and abilities tried out the new seasonal ice rink in downtown Olympia Thursday night. The rink opens to the public on Friday, November 16.

Oly on Ice Opens November 16

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

If you fall down at Olympia’s new seasonal ice rink, Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” might be a great song to remember. 

The temporary ice rink at 529 4th Avenue West, called Oly on Ice, opens to the public on Friday, November 16, from 3:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Weekend hours are 10:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays.

The rink was open Thursday night for show and tell to media, city staff, and the rink’s financial sponsors and their families. Plenty of upbeat tunes and encouragement kept skaters of all ages and abilities moving and laughing.

It will be open seven days a week from November 16 – January 6 except Thanksgiving with special operating hours during school winter breaks and on holidays.

For a full list of admission prices, hours, and special events, go to OlyOnIce.com or call City of Olympia, Parks, Arts & Recreation at (360) 753-8380.

Oly on Ice parking is available at the two lots immediately east and west of the ice rink. Do not park at Bayview Thriftway or other private lots adjacent to the rink.

Temporary restrooms are available on site during the run of the ice rink.

The rink is only 100 feet long and 40 feet wide, which might frustrate some, but even Dorothy Hamill, Michelle Kwan, Johnny Weir and Nathan Chen had to start somewhere.

Perhaps the best advice of the night came from Lia Prandi, 17, just one of several assistants on hand to help people get up off the ice.

“When you fall, tuck your hands in as soon as possible so they don’t get run over by other skaters,” she said. Prandi said she learned to skate at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma.

Olympia city manager Steve Hall grew up in the Pacific Northwest and never learned how to skate. He strapped on skates for the first time and hugged the edge of the rink until he was comfortable letting go.

Stephanie Johnson, Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation arts and events program manager, demonstrated that she can skate backwards. Originally from Greeley, Colorado, Johnson said she learned to skate on a lake near her house that used to freeze.

Paul Simmons, Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation director, whipped around the rink. He said he grew up in Federal Way and has only ice skated about three times but has a lot of experience rollerblading.

“So many people have done so much to pull this off….This is how we’ll bring the community together in the winter months doing something really positive,” he said about the rink.

Above: Jonathon Turlove, Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation associate director, left, wriggles his size 14 feet into a pair of size 12 skates, the largest available. Kellie Purce Braseth, City of Olympia strategic communications director, puts on skates for the first time, while her husband Svin Braseth, right, is originally from Norway and has experience skating.

Landin Vargas, 11, of Olympia, had never been on skates before but skated for a full hour. He fell a few times but got right back up each time. His mom, Farra Hayes, skated on the ice with him. She works for Puget Sound Energy, one of the rink’s 40 financial sponsors.

As he took off his skates for the night, Vargas said he was definitely coming back. 

“I don’t get down on myself when I fall,” he said confidently.

Upcoming Special Events

Nutcracker on Ice, November 29, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Get your picture taken with your favorite characters from Ballet Northwest’s Nutcracker cast.

Pride Night, December 6, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Join Pizza Klatch for a night of fun – they’ll be selling wearable glow sticks to light up the ice! Rainbow attire encouraged all day.

Wizards on Ice, December 13, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Witches, wizards, squibs and muggles: Join the South Sound Reading Foundation and the Downtown Ambassadors for magical trivia and prizes. Skate-safe costumes encouraged.

Ugly Sweater Night, December 20, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Skate in your ugly sweater while the Capital High School Chamber Choir serenades skaters with holiday carols.

Fairy Tale Nights, December 27, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Face painting, balloon animals, and photo opportunities with your favorite fairy tale characters from Glitter & Suede Events and Venue.

Super Hero Night, January 3, 2019, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Come in your favorite skate-safe costume and get a giveaway from Olympic Cards & Comics while supplies last.

For a previous article about the ice rink, go to “Temporary Olympia Ice Rink Coming Soon,” October 19, 2018, at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2018/10/temporary-olympia-ice-rink-coming-soon.html

Above: The Oly on Ice rink tent in downtown Olympia is on the isthmus between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet.

No Pile Driving During Lakefair for Mistake on the Lake

Above: Views on Fifth, better known as the Mistake on the Lake, as seen on Monday from a newly created city owned park on the isthmus on Fourth Avenue in downtown Olympia. Piling driving at the site will begin on a three story building on the corner of Fourth and Simmons Street. The poetry on the sidewalk is the creation of Olympia poet laureate, Amy Solomon-Minarchi, and others as part of the city’s Art in Public Places Program. 

No pile driving planned during Lakefair, July 11 - 15

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Oh, the sweet sound of progress! 

Pile driving sounds like poetry to some ears, but to others, not so much. But pretty soon, there will be plenty of it in downtown Olympia.

Construction will begin on a new, three story building with apartments and structured parking for residents, all part of the conversion of the existing nine story building best known as the Mistake on the Lake at 410 5th Avenue, also known as Views on Fifth.

Piling driving will not occur during Lakefair, however, and less noisy construction activity on both buildings will continue, City of Olympia building official Todd Cunningham told Little Hollywood on Monday.

The 61st annual Lakefair, a community celebration in downtown Olympia on Water Street and Heritage Park, begins Wednesday and ends on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of South Sounders come into downtown Olympia each year to enjoy food, carnival rides, live entertainment, a car show, a parade, and, as the grand finale, a fireworks display. All activities are operated by Capital Lakefair, a nonprofit volunteer organization. For a list of events and activities, go to www.lakefair.org.

“There may also be occasional traffic disruptions as construction equipment stages for off-loading onto the site. The contractor will have appropriate staff on site to monitor and address all construction activity and any concerns related to public safety,” said Cunningham.

In time, two, new three story buildings are expected to be built on site.

“The pile driving is for the new buildings. There may be some additional piles for the existing (building) but that is not the majority of the piles at this time. The owner was very cooperative about this when I asked him about Lakefair and immediately volunteered that he would discontinue pile driving as it would be the right thing to do for the community during this event. He did mention that this is at substantial cost though,” said Cunningham.

Pile driving work will take place between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Above: Pile driving equipment being staged on Monday for the construction of a three story building on Fourth Avenue near Views on Fifth, a nine-story building under redevelopment in downtown Olympia.

Mistake on the Lake Redevelopment Public Hearing Tuesday

Above: The proposed redevelopment of the nine story building best known as the “Mistake on the Lake” in downtown Olympia will be getting a public hearing on Tuesday, January 9, 6:30 p.m., at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW, in downtown Olympia. Photo was taken from the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial on the Capitol Campus looking north in July, 2017.

-Hearing on Tuesday Evening Could Attract Hundreds 
-Sea Level Rise, Flooding, Traffic, Other Concerns About Project

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The proposed redevelopment of the nine story building best known as the “Mistake on the Lake” in downtown Olympia will be getting a public hearing in front of a city hearing examiner on Tuesday, January 9, 6:30 p.m., at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW, in Rooms A and B, in downtown Olympia.

No, the building is not going away anytime soon. Instead, public comment will be taken about a proposed mixed use redevelopment project submitted by applicant Ken Brogan in 2016 to provide 140 market rate apartments, a ground floor restaurant, and retail space. 

A nearby one story building will be demolished and two new mixed use buildings will be constructed. The two new buildings will meet the current 35 foot height limit for that area and with some exceptions, reach higher.

The 100 foot, nine story building was built in 1965 as a bank before Olympia had a planning commission. It later served as an office building for the Washington State Department of Corrections and has been vacant since 2006.

The area proposed to be redeveloped is located between Fourth and Fifth Avenue, bounded by Sylvester Street and Simmons Street near the present day Heritage Park Fountain on what is called “the isthmus,” although it really isn't an isthmus. 

The narrow strip of land was created from fill in the early 1900s and is located in a flood zone between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet.

The city owns two acres on the western part of the isthmus that the city purchased for a park and cleared of vacant buildings. 

The city issued a “determination of non-significance” for the proposed project and received approval from the city’s site plan review committee on November 29, 2017. 

In support of its case, city staff submitted a packet with 25 attachments to the city’s hearing examiner. After hearing the case and public comment, the hearing examiner will review the city’s findings and issue a determination on the land use approval permit at a later date.

While many are looking forward to the redevelopment project, many others have hoped and worked for years toward the building’s demolition to restore the scenic view north to Budd Inlet and the Olympic Mountains. 

The community has grown weary of the building’s blighted presence and past pie-in-the-sky proposals for redevelopment, but given strong feelings the community has about the building, hundreds of people could attend Tuesday’s hearing. 

Above: The applicant’s drawing of the proposed redevelopment from a southwest viewpoint.

While the city works to develop a sea level rise plan, it continues to allow the development of several new projects, including the proposed Views on 5th, within an area that is expected to be inundated with water from sea level rise.

In recent history, several city council members who supported a massive proposed development called Larida Passage on the isthmus in 2009 were voted out of office, replaced by those who supported the vision of a park. 

“We could be stuck with this nine-story eyesore for another fifty years,” says Jerry Reilly of the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation, a non-profit that has been working to get the building demolished.

“The plan to place residences in a high hazard earthquake liquefaction zone is foolhardy. Moreover, it is extremely short sighted to build apartments in a flood plain that will be regularly inundated during the high tides that will come with sea level rise. The project will constrain and make more expensive future efforts of the city to protect downtown from sea level rise and to maintain the vital transportation link to the west side, a cost that will be borne by all Olympia taxpayers. Finally, the height of the building violates the historic view corridor established by the Olmsted Brothers and Wilder and White in the design of the State Capitol Campus,” says Reilly.

Reilly is disappointed that the city has not kept all its promises.

“In November 2015, Olympians passed, with a 60 percent vote, creation of the new Metropolitan Park District and taxing authority, in part, based upon belief that this would enable to city to buy and remove the existing building.”

City Determination of Non-Significance Appealed

Local attorney Allen Miller met a December 26 deadline to appeal the city’s determination of non-significance.

Miller, representing several former governors, former City of Olympia mayor Bob Jacobs, the National Association of Olmsted Parks, Friends of Seattle’s Olmstead Parks and others, states that the State Environmental Policy Act checklist ignores the architectural history of the Capitol Campus, blocks views from the Temple of Justice and is in the shoreline jurisdiction.

His says the building should be removed and replaced with a civic space due to community desire. His 161 page appeal details concerns related to sea level rise, liquefaction, and the need for transportation and utility corridors.

The Behind the Badge Foundation, also represented by Miller, asked the city to avoid making a decision that would change the landscape of the area. The Behind the Badge Foundation was involved in the creation of and maintains the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial on the Capitol Campus. The memorial faces a stunning view north toward Budd Inlet and Puget Sound.

Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks said replacement of the old tower with a new tower would perpetuate an existing visual obstruction to historic views from the Capitol Campus. 

The city responded to this concern in its application to the hearing examiner saying that the reuse of the tower is consistent with the nonconforming structure provisions in city code.

“Although not required by municipal code, the project includes efforts to reduce the visual impacts of the tower from the Capitol Campus. The applicant proposes to reduce the bulk of the rooftop mechanical equipment area and wrap the building in a glass curtain wall so that it will blend in with the surrounding colors of the sky and water,” says the city in its staff report to the hearing examiner.

Above: Looking south, a relatively tame storm surge from Budd Inlet to the north spilled over onto Sylvester Street in downtown Olympia in March 2016, reaching 4th Avenue and the Oyster House restaurant. The nine story Capitol Center Building and another vacant building, above, are also in the flood zone.

Addressing sea level rise concerns from Budd Inlet, the city says the project will be required to comply with the sea level rise requirements in current code. Regarding flooding associated with Capitol Lake, the project proposes to use dry flood proofing measures, which will be reviewed with the building permit application.

The traffic impact analysis anticipates that the project will generate 1,072 weekday daily trips. The weekday morning peak hour will experience an increase of 85 trips, and afternoon peak hour will experience an increase of 65 peak trips. This is intended to be offset by the addition of a turn lane on Simmons Avenue, says the city.

The city says the transportation impact analysis submitted by the applicant adequately addresses anticipated impacts to traffic and that the proposal is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s growth strategy for downtown.

Staff refers to the city’s 2016 Parks, Arts & Recreation Plan that discusses the Heritage Park Fountain and isthmus parcels.

“While the plan acknowledges that there is some community support for continued land acquisition for park features on the isthmus, it does not establish policies to do so. Instead, it looks to outcomes of the Community Renewal Area process and Downtown Strategy to help determine the appropriate city involvement in revitalization of this site. The plan supports the redevelopment and continual removal of blight in the isthmus area.”

Above: The northwest view of the block from the sidewalk near Simmons Street, across from Bayview Market as seen on January 3, 2018.

Above: The applicant's drawing of the northwest view for the proposed Views on 5th project.

“In a perfect world, this parcel would become a public space and this horrendous building would be demolished. In lieu of that, I hope the City of Olympia will send this ill-advised proposal back to the drawing board. I am not against development at this site. However, development should be scaled to fit its setting, and this is simply not the place for a massive tower. It never was,” writes Sam Wotipka of Olympia, in his comment letter to the city.

One person who is excited about the redevelopment project is Kevin Stormans, president of Stormans, Inc. and owner of Bayview Thriftway, which is located kitty-corner to the site.

“We will be able to provide them with grocery services without having to get in their cars, helping to reduce their carbon footprint and impacts on traffic all around the city....While previous development proposals for the site have not been perfect, they would have been much preferred over the current situation, and the latest Views on Fifth proposal represents our best chance to revitalize the area and address nearly all of the legitimate concerns most members of the community have about developing this area,” Stormans wrote the city on December 20, 2017. 

Little Hollywood last wrote about the project,“Mistake on the Lake Redevelopment Plans Underway,” on July 14, 2017 at https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2017/07/mistake-on-the-lake-redevelopment-plans.html

For more information and previous stories and photos by Little Hollywood since 2009 about the Mistake on the Lake, aka the Capitol Center Building, now Views on 5th, Larida Passage, Ken Brogan, Jerry Reilly, Behind the Badge Foundation, the isthmus, sea level rise issues, the Downtown Strategy, Community Renewal Area, flood elevation requirements, downtown flooding, king tides and storm surges, go to www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search engine.

For more information about the project from the City of Olympia, contact Nicole Floyd, senior planner, (360) 570-3768 or nfloyd@ci.olympia.wa.us.

Mistake on the Lake Redevelopment Plans Underway

Above: Built in 1965 and vacant for about eleven years, the blighted nine story building in downtown Olympia, known as the Mistake on the Lake, is not so visible from the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial on Thursday as Capital Lakefair wrapped up for the evening. The building is intensely disliked by many community members. Many have worked for years toward the building’s demolition to restore the scenic view north to Budd Inlet and the Olympic Mountains.  

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The nine story building in downtown Olympia is not going away. It’s going to be redeveloped and it’s going to be great.

That was the message by local developer Ken Brogan and his architect, Ron Thomas, who presented their land use plans and architectural drawings at a city organized community meeting held on Wednesday evening at Olympia City Hall.

The project at 410 5th Avenue is bounded by 4th Avenue West, 5th Avenue SW, Simmons Street SW, just south of Bayview Market, and Sylvester Street NW, which is next to the Heritage Park Fountain.

It is planned to provide 138 new residences and a mix of ground floor restaurant and retail spaces. A vacant single story structure will be demolished and two new mixed use buildings will be built with onsite parking.

City staff kept a tight lid on the evening, allowing plenty of time for questions and answers, but also making it clear that the meeting was not a visioning process or a conversation about whether or not the city should buy the building from Mr. Brogan.

About 75 people were in attendance, many of whom seemed to be supportive of Brogan’s plan, but certainly not all.

“When will you be taking reservations?” a man enthusiastically asked Brogan. After considerable laughter, Brogan responded that he hopes to break ground by the end of the year, and have construction complete by the end of 2018.

The project will be subject to a State Environmental Policy Act review, a multi-permit process, and decided by a hearings examiner, which can be appealed.

Above: Plans for the proposed Views on 5th by architect Ron Thomas were shown at a community meeting Wednesday evening. 

Brogan’s architect, Ron Thomas, did most of the speaking, showing conceptual drawings, and answering questions. He quickly preempted known community concerns about sea level rise and risks of liquefaction in the event of an earthquake by highlighting the building’s features to address those issues up front.

City staff made the point of stating at the outset of the meeting that the project was not within the city’s shoreline jurisdiction. The area is zoned Waterfront Urban – Housing.

The project will have to plan to accommodate a 16 foot sea level rise, the city’s new standard for new construction for projects that are in a flood zone. The elevation in that area is 14.85 feet, said Thomas. The area is currently known to flood during minor storm surges.

Thomas said that in the event of flooding, a rapidly deployed barrier called a Flex Wall that rises up out of the ground 24 to 36 inches will be installed to protect the building.

Steel pilings up to 70-80 feet deep will be needed to support the new buildings, and the tower building is currently undergoing seismic upgrading, said Thomas.

For nearly an hour, Thomas presented his drawings, pointing out the obvious for any new construction, such as access for refuse and fire trucks, and public transit opportunities that already exist in the area, and all the “very Olympia things to do,” such as long term bicycle storage and colored pavers to delineate pedestrian walkways, without acknowledging the most obvious: that the nine story tower building is staying.

In response to that observation, he assured the audience that the “psychology of the building” will change with the application of a special glazing that will appear to reduce the size of the tower. A drawing on one side of the tower showed Native inspired salmon artwork that he said he hoped could be designed in collaboration with local tribes.

He also said that Brogan is committed to creating a vertical green wall and seek a LEED Silver certification, making the building highly energy efficient.

“I'm sitting here trying not to scream at the fact that we're not even talking about the elephant in the room, which is that people in Olympia have been working for years to make this area a park. A green wall does not compensate, and enclosing the tower does not hide what's there,” said Ann Holm, a member of Friends of the Waterfront.

Community questions included how the flood barriers and automated compact parking mechanisms will work in the event of an earthquake or a loss of electricity, whether or not the building will get a multifamily residential tax credit (it will not), whether or not the building can accommodate low income individuals (it will not), the building’s impact to stormwater systems, the difference between the use of steel vs. wood pilings, estimated traffic patterns and impacts, the process of assessing impact fees, job creation and overall tax revenue to the city, and the possible regulation and code enforcement of blighted commercial property.

Above: The proposed Views on 5th development in downtown Olympia.

City planner Nicole Floyd said staff has received about 70 comments so far. The first deadline for public comment was July 7, but comments will be taken throughout the land use process, she said.

A city advisory committee, the Design Review Board, will review the plan’s designs to determine if it meets the city’s design criteria on August 10, 6:30 p.m. at Olympia City Hall. Public comment will not be taken at that meeting.

Little Hollywood wrote a detailed article on October 19, 2016 at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/10/new-plans-for-olympias-mistake-on-lake.html about Brogan’s plans to purchase the building, its history, and his initial plans. Some ideas, such as a swimming pool, have gone by the wayside. The article also features an interview with Jerry Reilly, chair of the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation.

For interior photos and information about the Capitol Center Building, aka the Mistake on the Lake, or Views on 5^th, previous hotel plans, the isthmus, scenic views, the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation, the city’s Downtown Strategy, king tides and sea level rise, go to Little Hollywood and type key words into the search button.

Project plans and documents provided by the City of Olympia can be viewed online at http://olympiawa.gov/news-and-faq-s/construction-news/views-on-fifth.aspx . For more information, contact City planner Nicole Floyd, nfloyd@ci.olympia.wa.us or (360) 570-3768.

Above: The Capitol Center Building has been purchased by developer Ken Brogan, above, who has mixed use and residential plans for the property. He stayed to answer one-on-one questions after the formal presentation on Wednesday evening.

New Plans for Olympia’s “Mistake on the Lake:” Residential, Restaurant, Gym, Pool

Above: Looking north from the switchback trail on the State Capitol Campus toward downtown Olympia, Budd Inlet and the Olympic Mountains, a vacant, nine story building stands in the middle of the view. Local developer Ken Brogan says he is under contract to purchase the former office building and proposes to redevelop it into a mixed use residential apartment complex.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Ken Brogan soon hopes to be the new owner of the nine story building in downtown Olympia, best known by critics as The Mistake on the Lake, and has a full set of plans for it. 

Others have been working for years toward its possible demolition to restore the original, open scenic view north to Budd Inlet and the Olympic Mountains.

Brogan met with city staff on Wednesday morning to discuss redevelopment of the two parcel site, which includes the nine story building and another vacant, one story building. 

The nine story building is also known as the Capitol Center Building, and The Views on 5^th.

The proposed development would convert the nine story building to a mixed use project containing 136 apartment units, and a 6,364 square foot restaurant and café. 

The one story building nearby would be rebuilt into a new three story structure with an underground parking structure for residents, administrative offices, a rooftop swimming pool, and a fitness gym along the frontage of 4th Avenue, which would be open to the public.  It is uncertain if the pool would be open to the public.

The parcels are bounded by 4th Avenue West, 5th Avenue SW, Simmons Street SW, just south of Bayview Market, and Sylvester St. SW, which is next to the Heritage Park Fountain.

Built in 1965 and vacant for over ten years, the blighted nine story building has had a long and tortuous history, and at this rate, despite its location, is old enough to be of interest to historic preservationists for its mid-century architecture.

Homeless individuals currently sleep in and around the buildings and windows are often broken. Brogan, who has not yet taken ownership of the property, said that he and his team spend “everyday” trying to figure out what to do about the situation.

Above: Local developer Ken Brogan speaks with City of Olympia building official Todd Cunningham on Wednesday morning.

Nicole Floyd, city senior planner and manager for the project, led the discussion among key staff who took turns asking high level, clarifying questions, discussing codes, requirements, and concerns involving building, engineering, fire, urban forestry, and public works standards. 

Brogan submitted his plans to the city on September 28 and has not yet filed a land use application.

Among other comments, staff said a traffic impact analysis would be required, and the project would need to conform to the new Low Impact Development standards that will take effect December 1. Brogan said he anticipates submitting an application after that date and would comply with all current standards.

Staff expressed subtle and not so subtle enthusiasm about the project.

“It’s an exciting project, and an opportunity to clean up the area down there,” started city building official Todd Cunningham, who also admitted that the project was a complicated one. 

The building's height is non-conforming and is grandfathered into an area that has a current height limit of 35 feet, however, the structure cannot be enlarged or expanded in size.

There will be opportunities for public involvement throughout the land use process, which will start with a neighborhood meeting after Brogan submits a land use application. The project will be subject to State Environmental Policy Act review, which will be led by city senior planner Cari Hornbein.

Causing confusion for some is the fact that previously submitted plans for the building to be converted into a hotel are vested.

“The previous land use approval was for a hotel, which is still vested. That means an applicant can move forward with building permits to convert the existing building to a hotel. The new proposal is not vested. The applicant must file a new land use review application which must be approved by the city before building permits can be issued and the project constructed,” explained Tim Smith, principal planner for the City of Olympia, after the meeting.

The area is zoned Waterfront Urban – Housing. Smith says that no portion of the property is within shoreline jurisdiction.

Above: Waterfront indeed. A relatively tame storm surge from Budd Inlet spilled over onto Sylvester Street in downtown Olympia in March 2016, reaching 4th Avenue and the Oyster House restaurant. The nine story Capitol Center Building and another vacant building proposed to be redeveloped are in the flood zone. City officials told developer Ken Brogan on Wednesday that he will have to plan to accommodate a 16 foot sea level rise.

Jerry Reilly, chair of the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation, attended Wednesday’s meeting.

In an interview with Little Hollywood, Reilly praised the city’s purchase and demolition of two nearby, blighted buildings, in its effort toward the creation of a great civic space on the isthmus.

He is also pleased with the passage of last year’s ballot measure to create the city’s Metropolitan Park District that enabled the city’s purchase of Kaiser Heights, a wooded parcel near Ken Lake, and the LBA Woods. However, Reilly said he would like to remind councilmembers that a leading argument for the MPD’s passage was to also make more feasible the removal of the nine story building.

“Eleven months have gone by since over 60 percent of Olympia voters approved the creation of the Metropolitan Park District. One of the key selling points of the MPD was its potential to make more likely the removal of the Capitol Center Building.

“We may be on the verge of an historic missed opportunity to purchase and remove this building. The building is now at the bottom of its market value. The question now, most often heard from people regarding this building is, ‘Why was it allowed to be built in the first place?’  The question in the future may be, “Why didn't we remove it when we had the chance?

“The people of Olympia intensely dislike this building. They have told us this on many occasions, through an initiative signed by nearly 5,000 registered voters, a Trust for Public Lands poll, the Elway poll, and the positive vote for the MPD. If redevelopment proceeds, we will endure this Mistake on the Lake for another fifty years. Time is running out,” said Reilly.

As for Brogan’s designs, Reilly called them “interesting,” but questioned why he would want to remodel a building built on fill in a floodplain susceptible to liquefaction.

Little Hollywood’s attempts to speak with Brogan were somewhat unsuccessful.

After asking Brogan a few questions, he discontinued speaking with Little Hollywood after twice asking, “Do you support the project or are you opposed to the project?” Further conversation was apparently conditional on my response.

Little Hollywood responded, “If you read my writing, I try to be fair and offer new perspectives. I have fans on both sides of the issue. I tend to stick to the facts and let other people’s comments provide balance,” and suggested he read my articles.

Brogan did say that he thinks the nearby 123 4^th Avenue building is a big compliment to downtown Olympia, and if given the opportunity to pursue his project, he would use local contractors.

Above: The interior of the Capitol Center Building is fully gutted. The windows on the first floor are often broken and a source of easy entry into the building.

For more interior photos and information about the Capitol Center Building, aka The Mistake on the Lake or The Views on 5^th, hotel plans, the isthmus, scenic views, Jerry Reilly, the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation, the city’s Downtown Strategy, king tides and sea level rise, go to Little Hollywood and type key words into the search button. 

Story Clarifications, October 20: The original article made it sound like the underground garage would be under the nine story building. It would be beside it, as part of the three story building. Also, in preparation for sea level rise to 16 feet, the elevation is in relation to mean sea level, and the sidewalk at that location is about 12 feet.