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 Faces Demolition

Above: With his back turned to the former Chambers Prairie Grange, owner Tom Schrader says the building on the corner of Henderson Boulevard and Yelm Highway in Tumwater will be demolished. Schrader is in negotiations with Starbucks to create a new 4,000 square foot building with a drive-thru on the property. 

Owner in Negotiations with Starbucks for Property Use

Site Plans Still Uncertain

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A Little Hollywood Land Use Investigation

The 107 year old former Chambers Prairie Grange on the corner of Henderson Boulevard and Yelm Highway in Tumwater will be demolished, says building owner Tom Schrader.

Schrader’s decision to raze the beloved grange has caught many off guard, including City of Tumwater planning staff and the city council’s citizen advisory planning commission.

Members of the city council and the city’s historic preservation commission have not been formally informed of Schrader's new intentions for the building.

After weeks of hearing rumors, members of the city’s citizen advisory planning commission were the first to hear about the change in plans firsthand by Schrader during a public comment period at their March 14 meeting.

Their reaction, similar to that expressed by some city staff and others already familiar with the news, was one of confusion and disappointment, particularly since Schrader had wooed them all with his vision of saving the building and converting it into a neighborhood café and bistro.

The planning commission had recommended that Schrader receive a comprehensive plan rezone for the property from single-family, low-density residential to community service, which was approved by city council last October.

The prospect of tearing down the building is unthinkable for many Thurston County historic preservationists and community members who have generations of memories of the grange being used for community meetings, weddings, dances and other gatherings.

Schrader met with several local coffee businesses in the area to ascertain their interest in the property, but was unsuccessful in getting any of them to make a commitment.

At some point, Starbucks offered Schrader a contract on the property at 1301 Yelm Highway. 

Schrader gets upset at the suggestion that he obtained the rezone to increase the property’s value and says the contract is not a done deal.

“I met with Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters three times, Cutters Point Coffee twice, and everyone else at least once, so my effort has not wavered from that desire,” he told the city’s planning commission on March 14.

Schrader said he has also received offers from fast food restaurants such as Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Chick fil-A, corporations that have all expressed an interest in the corner for years.

“I could have gone with any of those, but I said no to all of them. Starbucks is a coffee shop that has an area where people can meet, with a social community area, and that was my intent for the grange anyways, wasn’t it?” said Schrader. 

He has expressed considerable frustration with the City of Tumwater and sought clarification on what he could do with the property. Schrader's plans call for the building to be demolished, the basement to be imploded and filled in, and trees to be removed.

Misunderstandings continue between Schrader and the City of Tumwater about the grange’s physical position on the property and the regulatory setbacks needed for sidewalks, landscaping and public works needs. 

Above: Tom Schrader met with City of Tumwater staff at an epic, two hour site review planning meeting on March 2 to discuss Schrader’s plans to demolish the grange and determine what he can and cannot do on the property. Developers and their representatives present staff with preliminary plans at these meetings and staff review regulations that may affect those plans. These type of meetings usually last 45 minutes to an hour.

Schrader specifically mentioned in a previous interview with Little Hollywood that he did not want a Starbucks, a Texaco gas station, a 7-11, nor a Burger King.

“….I want something the neighborhood wants,” he said in an interview with Little Hollywood in November 2015.

Schrader is currently in negotiations with The Farm Homeowners Association to purchase property adjacent to the grange property, which he says would allow for a safer, better project. 

Since he purchased the property in 2015, Schrader has worked with neighbors and residents of The Farm to appease their concerns regarding potential traffic and noise.

When asked by Little Hollywood if the city or a private entity could purchase the building and save it, Schrader bristled and asserted that the building cannot stay where it is. 

Schrader said he doesn’t want to hear any “bleeding heart stories” about the loss of the grange.

“I'm really not feeling too bad about whatever I do with the old grange because nobody gives a damn! Where was everyone who cared when I needed them? I have over $15,000 invested in architectural plans - remodel plans already submitted to the city - a gas meter, electrical engineering, new electrical meters, and I bought new cedar roofing.

“The building is in City of Tumwater right of way and they will not let me remodel or keep the building where it currently is - if I move the building, I will lose the basement, and the building won't survive the move,” Schrader said angrily.

“I've had building movers and general contractors do inspections on the structure, and they will not guarantee the building would survive a move. In fact, they wouldn't touch it unless I signed a waiver saying if the building imploded or fell over, I wouldn't file a claim against them.”

Although the outside looks intact, Schrader has a carpenter inside the former grange, salvaging part of the floor, which he says is not the original fir flooring. A maple floor was put over the old fir floor, maybe in the 1960-70's.

Schrader says he is keeping a lot of the old grange materials and is working with Starbucks on a possible design.

During a March tour of the grange, Schrader said that the new building will look like a grange, and wants it to be positioned lengthwise along Yelm Highway, using the grange’s exterior wood paneling.

Inside, several new water leaks were seen dripping from roof to floor.

Schrader, who says he doesn’t like to visit the property anymore, or even call it “the grange” because the situation is so depressing, rushed to find containers to catch the drips.

Schrader asked Little Hollywood to not take any interior photos.

Above: On what was a forested lot last year, the new Starbucks and its drive-thru located on Cooper Point Road in Olympia is now surrounded by impervious surface. This Starbucks design is similar in size of what could be accommodated on Schrader’s property in Tumwater. Schrader has presented several architectural designs to Tumwater city staff and the parties have wrangled over setbacks and access to the site. 

Property Use Disputes

According to Schrader, the City of Tumwater is making him move the building in 10 to 20 years, because it is three to eight feet within the city's right of way.

The city has future intentions of adding another left turn at the intersection of Henderson and Yelm Highway.

“The city won't give me a break on reducing the setbacks. Any new building will be at least 20 feet from the sidewalk, which puts the building in the middle of the lot, so you don't have room for parking and the storm pond,” said Schrader.

The city says, yes, the building is in its right of way, but they were making regulatory exceptions, and working with Schrader to allow the building to stay in its current location.

When Schrader took city staff off guard by unexpectedly presenting them with preliminary plans to demolish the grange and replace it with a new 4,000 square foot building and parking lot, the project became a typical new development that must adhere to current setback and other development regulations.

The proposed Starbucks will have a drive-thru, which was just one major sticking point at a March 2 meeting between Schrader and the City of Tumwater development review committee.

Several city staff members met with Schrader for a two hour meeting to examine Schrader’s latest architectural drawings and design requests. 

Staff’s confusion on how Schrader got from Point A, saving the grange, to Point B, demolishing the grange, was palatable, with at least one staff member blatantly saying that he wanted the grange to be saved.

Schrader says a drive-thru is a mandatory feature for Starbucks and says the corporation is willing to wait for as long as it takes to get through the land use and design process.

“I need the city to help me design a project that’s good for Tumwater,” said Schrader.

City of Tumwater Perspective

The City of Tumwater has a different perspective on the whole matter but believes Schrader was sincere in his desire to save the building during the comprehensive plan and rezone request process last year.

“Tumwater has always been and continues to be supportive of retaining the grange building if possible. That being said, there is no city requirement prohibiting demolition of the building. That is a decision for the property owner,” said Michael Matlock, community development director for the City of Tumwater, in an email to Little Hollywood last month.

“….Retaining the grange building was much discussed during the comprehensive plan and rezone request process and I believe all parties have a strong interest and desire to see that happen. 

“The city did not require him to demolish it. A portion of the structure is in the city right of way. Initially, we told Tom he would need to remove that portion from the right of way. We negotiated that point and subsequently allowed that portion to stay in the right of way. Tom told me that he had some further structural analysis done and it was just not possible to retain the building,” said Matlock.

Asked about the drive-thru element, Matlock says a drive-thru is allowed under the current zoning, but would be subject to stringent design guidelines regarding placement and screening. It will not be allowed between the building and the sidewalk.

“This is a challenging site to develop because of its size and location. While we have had many discussions with Tom, we have not yet begun the site plan review process to work through these issues,” said Matlock.

City staff say that the new Starbucks, which includes a drive-thru, on Cooper Point Road near Haggen’s grocery store is very similar in size to the preliminary plans they have discussed with Schrader.

Grange Building History

Located on the former Route #2 in Thurston County, the Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191 was built in 1910 on land donated by the Wickie Family. 

The grange served as a vital community center for the area's farmers and their agricultural, social, educational and political activities. 

The wooden, one-story, 5,668 square foot building sits on .91 acres and is remarkably sound, despite its age. It has been untouched by vandals and still features the original wavy glass windows. The basement still contains long wooden tables suitable for dining and entertaining.

The building is not listed on any historic register. 

It sat vacant for years, but continued to be owned by the Washington State Grange until Schrader and his wife Tiffany bought it in late 2015. 

Since then, Tom Schrader has worked to clear the grange property of blackberry brambles and brush, scraped moss off the roof, hauled away old appliances, and provided electricity and natural gas to the building.

The rezone to community service last October allowed 22 permitted uses but limited commercial development of the property.  

The area has built up around the grange.

Northwest of the grange is the Briggs YWCA and the 137-acre Briggs Village. 

Northeast of the grange was once the Briggs Nursery. It is now Briggs East Village and a 200-unit development for active senior adults called Silver Leaf.

East of the grange is the Tsuki Nursery, which is on the market, listed and represented by Schrader, a commercial real estate agent for ReMax/Parkside.

That latter property is currently in Thurston County with Olympia Urban Growth Area jurisdiction zoned residential 4 – 8.

Jay Eaton, director of public works for the City of Tumwater, said in a past interview that the Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard 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,” he said.

About 30,000 vehicles per day currently use the intersection.

Above: With a simplified, hand drawn sketch, Tom Schrader shows his vision for the future site of the grange property. He says he will use portions of the grange's exterior wood paneling for the outside of a new building. Pending the possible sale of an adjacent piece of property to Schrader, siting logistics and details for the new development is still uncertain. 

Editor’s Note: This story chronicles just a small part of a local land use project's complicated journey from idea to reality. Since late 2015, Little Hollywood has published three stories about Tom Schrader's ideas for the former Chambers Prairie Grange site. 

Little Hollywood spent three months investigating the update for this story, meeting and checking in with Schrader on multiple occasions, attending meetings, and communicating with city staff. 

The story is not over, but it would appear that the possibility of saving the building's structural and spiritual integrity, is now lost.

For more photos, information and previous Little Hollywood articles about the Chambers Prairie Grange No. 191, Tom Schrader, the City of Tumwater rezone of the property, and current and projected traffic levels at the intersection, go to Little Hollywood’s stories:

November 29, 2015 - www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2015/11/chambers-prairie-grange-in-tumwater.html

May 28, 2016 - www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/05/chambers-prairie-grange-rezone.html

November 4, 2016 – www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/11/chambers-prairie-grange-rezone-passes.html

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.