Tumwater in Negotiations with Heidgerken to Obtain Old Brewhouse Tower

Tumwater in Negotiations with Heidgerken to Obtain Old Brewhouse Tower

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Above: The historic Old Brewhouse in Tumwater as viewed from the former keghouse in October 2014. The City of Tumwater is seeking public comment on a final environmental impact statement for a planned land use action for the 32 acre property owned by George Heidgerken. The city is also in negotiations with Heidgerken to obtain the 110 year old, six story tower. 

Planned Action Conversations Continue, Another Public Hearing to be Scheduled Soon

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

After a lengthy conversation at their Tuesday night work session, Tumwater city councilmembers agreed to hold another public hearing on the planned action land use ordinance for the historic Old Brewery area.

The hearing will be scheduled soon, and no decisions about the property will be made at their next council meeting.

City administrator John Doan also acknowledged that the city is indeed in negotiations with Old Brewhouse owner George Heidgerken about the historic, six story tower.

Doan said that it makes economic sense for Heidgerken to give up the tower because it is in the worst shape with the least amount of square footage of any building on the property.  

“If we acquired it somehow, how much would that cost? (For Heidgerken) to develop, it doesn’t have a lot of value. It’s in a tough spot…it’s an expensive building…with not a lot of return. There are certainly a lot of business reasons why he would want to turn that over to the city,” said Doan.

Doan suggested that the council create a developer’s agreement that would clarify the parameters of the arrangement. That agreement would most likely look like a deed to transfer ownership and some piece of land in the form of an easement so the property could be accessed.  

If obtained by the city, Doan said, the tower could be the impetus for obtaining state grants and future fundraising opportunities to restore the tower, independent of what Heidgerken does with the rest of the property. 

Doan later told Little Hollywood that he hopes to have an agreement with Heidgerken within a couple of months.

Councilmembers agreed to hold a public hearing about the city’s possible acquisition of the tower separate from a public hearing on the proposed planned action land use ordinance.

“It would be a big step for the city. The desire to acquire (the tower) is an opportunity again at long last. There would be a lot of good to have people comment on it,” said Councilmember Tom Oliva. Oliva is a co-founder of the Old Brewhouse Foundation, a local nonprofit formed in 2008 that seeks to acquire, restore and provide public use of the tower.

At a February 16 public hearing about the proposed planned action land use ordinance, Heidgerken dangled the possibility of donating the tower in front of the council, which gave the appearance that he was doing so in exchange for the council’s approval of his desired full build out land use scenario for the 32 acre property.

Public comments since the hearing have urged the city to secure a commitment from Heidgerken in writing first, then move forward with a land use decision, if what he was offering was a legitimate option.

Above: The 400 page Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed planned action land use ordinance for the Old Brewery property welcomed each councilmember at their work session meeting on Tuesday.

New Information about Planned Action

Staff also came prepared for Tuesday's work session with a new, draft 10 page supplement to the 400 page Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed planned action land use ordinance.

The document called Exhibit C clarifies the scope of what the planned action is approving and made the restoration and preservation of the existing historic structures along the Deschutes River as part of the plan. 

Councilmembers Joan Cathey and Nicole Hill in particular asked many questions about the implications of a planned action, and requested that a developer’s agreement be written that would ensure that some kind of phasing process would prioritize public amenities, should the developer bail on the project.

Councilmember Hill said she still had a hard time grasping the fact that the property owner could rearrange the proposed uses for the property within the footprint allowed. She suggested that parking be placed up near the RST Cellars Building.

Doan admitted that the proposed 1,000 vehicle parking garage where it is currently proposed in the hillside would obstruct views to and from the historic Schmidt House and that its environmental impact that has not yet been assessed.

Doan also said that it is always a possibility that a developer could bail mid-way through a project but expressed confidence in Heidgerken.

“I think if he gets started down there, that he’ll finish….”

Councilmember Cathey said she is uncomfortable approving the project up front without knowing the full description.

Councilmember Debbie Sullivan said she sensed fear and anxiety by fellow councilmembers that she couldn’t grasp.

“When we get into these processes, there are no absolutes. I think there’s checks and balances in the whole process...I don’t think it’s going to be an out of control project. Are we ever going to be able to control 100 percent of everything? I don’t think so,” said Sullivan.

She said the conversation would be different if councilmembers were talking about the modern brewery properties, which was how it was originally envisioned. Sullivan said she is looking at this project holistically as an opportunity for making Tumwater more economically attractive to investors.

Councilmember Hill responded that she didn’t think she was commenting out of fear, but was responding to all the public comment and trying to ask appropriate questions. 

Councilmember Cathey responded that she too didn’t feel fearful, but felt profoundly protective of the culturally and environmentally sensitive property.

Mayor Pete Kmet acknowledged it was a challenging project and said that to make the area work, a residential component is needed. Since the construction of a new building was nixed by staff as unfeasible, Kmet suggested that a part of the warehouse could be “torn off” to create condominiums.

“…We already know through the marketing analysis that this is a challenging project. To do anything down there will cost a lot of money and anything we can do to streamline that is going to increase the chances that something will actually happen to preserve it….If we end up being successful in acquiring the tower, having this (planned action) done allows us to move ahead with preservation. If we don’t, we’re back to square zero and doing this process again….” said Kmet.

For more photos and many past articles about the Old Brewery, George Heidgerken, the stop work order imposed upon Heidgerken for environmental violations at the site in October 2014, groundwater monitoring, the Old Brewhouse Foundation, historic preservation, and the planned action land use alternatives currently before the Tumwater city council, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.comand type key words in the search button.

For more information about the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Exhibit C, Supplement to Tumwater Brewery Planned Action, or to provide public comment, contact Chris Carlson, Permit Manager, City of Tumwater, 555 Israel Road SW, Tumwater, (360) 754-4180, ccarlson@ci.tumwater.wa.us, or City of Tumwater councilmembers at council@ci.tumwater.wa.us

Old Brewhouse Planned Action Decision Postponed until March 15

Old Brewhouse Planned Action Decision Postponed until March 15

tumwater  

Above: The historic Old Brewhouse sits near the Deschutes River in Tumwater. Aerial photo taken in late December 2014. The presence of a proposed 1,000 vehicle parking structure located behind the brewery would wipe out the treed hillside containing legendary artesian springs, and its height could dwarf or wall off views to and from the historic Schmidt House, seen at upper right.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A public hearing by the Tumwater City Council on a proposed mixed use planned action ordinance for the 32 acre area around the historic, regionally beloved Old Brewhouse was held February 16.  Due to the illness and absence of three councilmembers, no action was taken.  

A follow up work session was held February 23. Another work session on the issue is scheduled for March 8 at 5:30 p.m.,Tumwater Fire Department training room, on Israel Road. Public comment is not allowed at work sessions.

The subject has been placed on the Tumwater city council agenda for consideration at their March 15th meeting at Tumwater City Hall. That meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

Public Hearing

Kicking off the discussion on February 16, several members of the public and property owner George Heidgerken addressed the council.

Among three land use scenarios, Heidgerken and his project manager, Jon Potter, desire a full build out of the property to include housing and a 1,000 vehicle parking garage. 

The proposed garage would be several stories high and built into the hillside that contains the legendary “It’s the Water” artesian springs that attracted Adolf Schmidt in 1895 to build his brewery on the shore of the Deschutes River.  The brick brewhouse tower that is the symbol of Tumwater was built in 1906.

Potter said that the planned action final environmental impact statement was well written.

“There is a level of development that’s necessary in order to do the restoration work and get the financing necessary to do the restoration that we all want to occur on that site to bring it back to its original grandeur. That build out scenario is necessary in order for us to achieve that goal,” said Potter.

Councilmember Joan Cathey said her research indicates that eight out of ten planned actions used statewide were disastrous to the environment.

“This is giving - deciding - what we’re going to allow when we don’t even know what it is….I feel really emotional about this…this does not seem like the place for density when you can’t even get a vehicle down the hill,” said Cathey, who added that she couldn’t even imagine a 1,000 vehicle garage behind the Old Brewhouse.

The exact height of the garage is undetermined.

When Cathey asked Mayor Pete Kmet when it was decided as a city that this was going to be a planned action, Kmet did not directly respond, but said that this is the first time it’s ever been done in Tumwater.

Chris Carlson, city planner and permit manager, said that the intent of a planned action is to have a detailed environmental analysis conducted ahead of time to streamline the permit review process and is more often used in subarea plans. 

Developers like planned actions because they reduce the overall costs for the project and provide predictability in the process. 

A key sticking point for environmentalists is that planned actions are not subject to State Environmental Policy Act appeal procedures. Their use essentially reduces or eliminates the possibility of legal challenges to individual projects within a study area.

Councilmember Nicole Hill expressed concern that there was nothing in the ordinance that would prevent the owner, George Heidgerken, from destroying the iconic tower.

“I was expecting to see how the tower would be protected and restored…I want assurances for the community,” said Hill, who also mentioned the need for public access and trails.

Councilmembers expressed the importance of balance between restoration of the Old Brewhouse and new development, noting that the tower is deteriorating by the day.

Councilmember Tom Oliva said he is in favor of the full build out scenario and expressed confidence that Heidgerken can develop the property with sensitivity. 

Councilmember Eileen Swarthout agreed with Oliva and thought the council could craft a vision in a way that would be pleasing to the public.

Carlson said the ordinance could be reworked. After extended discussion about how the public could weigh in, Carlson suggested that the council could have another public hearing. That possibility was left up in the air.

In a surprise, rambling comment, Heidgerken mentioned that he is in conversations with the city to donate the tower to the city.

“…That probably will happen because it’s the right thing to do. On projects like this, you’ve got to do a lot of that ‘right thing to do stuff’ because projects like this add up very quickly….Projects like this can take up $150 million in no time at all and you don’t know when you start these things that that’s going to happen….The old Custer building (the RST Cellars building) in a lot of ways looks like hell. It’s a building that needs to stay. It needs to look like it fits in – that means brick it….If we don’t make this site look good…we’re going to darn well wish we did when we’re done, and our intentions are to do that….” said Heidgerken.

Neither councilmembers nor staff elaborated about these conversations with Heidgerken.

In October 2014, the City of Tumwater issued a stop work order at the site after Heidgerken was found to be illegally filling in wetlands and grading a road at the site without permits. Heidgerken has a history of committing environmental offenses.

The stop work order was lifted when Heidgerken was issued a permit in September 2015 to begin groundwater monitoring. The permit allows his company to place 644 cubic yards of fill in the vicinity of the southeast corner of the Old Brewhouse building. Groundwater monitoring is required as part of soil remediation work associated with a paint shop that was formerly in this area.

Heidgerken has yet to start work, said city staff.

Above: The six story Old Brewery tower is in severe disrepair. Several areas are roofless and exposed to the elements. Photo taken from within the tower in October 2014.

Discussion Continued at February 23 Council Work Session 

The conversation continued at a council work session Tuesday evening. At both the February 16 and 23 meetings, the written comments by Tumwater resident Nancy Partlow were mentioned by councilmembers. 

“I see very little in the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) that reflects an imaginative or creative vision for redevelopment of Tumwater’s most iconic site.  What’s being proposed are the same highly impactful, highly engineered solutions to perceived problems that would be proposed for any other property in the city. There is nothing here that acknowledges, honors, or works with the very special cultural, historical, or natural features of the area,” wrote Partlow.

“What would these buildings look like on-site and in relation to the current buildings? How would the currently-treed hillside south of the Old Brewhouse buildings and north of the Schmidt Mansion change in appearance with the building of a parking garage, condos and a new access road? How would the view north from the Schmidt Mansion site be impacted by a parking garage being built on the hillside below?  Would the roof of the new structure dominate the foreground of the view?  

“To say that the loss of the hillside trees, which are growing in highly challenging circumstances on steep slopes and rocky substrate, can be mitigated by Tumwater’s Tree Protection Ordinance, or the forest restored in any meaningful way or length of time, is highly questionable….These hillside springs and seeps have been a natural feature of this site from time immemorial. It was this fresh water that drew Adolf Schmidt to the site to make his beer. They are also an important component of Tumwater’s nearshore environment. 

“I ask the council to deeply ponder whether the mitigations proposed in the Final EIS are sufficient to counterbalance the substantial impacts an urban-intensity development would have on that older site history, and upon the beautiful, quiet natural area that currently exists,” wrote Partlow.

Sharron Coontz attended Tuesday night’s work session about the Planned Action EIS and submitted written comment to the mayor. 

“A Planned Action EIS is a dangerous tool. It allows the developer incredible flexibility.  After the project is underway, changes can be made that have environmental impacts never considered in the original EIS.  Developers in the past have stated that these changes are covered since they’re working under the aegis of a Planned Action EIS.  Hearing examiners have upheld that claim,” wrote Coontz.

“It completely negates the rights of citizens. If no one appealed the original Planned Action EIS, seeing no serious danger listed in the environmental impact section, then hearing examiners have said that none of the individual projects can be appealed as they arise. Changes can be made to the original project and citizens are helpless, with no legal recourse.

“We’re discussing an iconic, historic site, important to many of us who, like my family, have generations-long roots in the area….No developer should be given the leeway allowed in a Planned Action EIS, and certainly not one with Mr. Heidgerken’s track record,” wrote Coontz.

Speaking of flexibility, city staffer Chris Carlson said that, indeed, the specific uses identified within the planned action area, such as the proposed condominiums and restaurants, could be switched around within the footprint of the site.

Discussion centered on the size of the proposed 1,000 vehicle parking structure. Councilmember Nicole Hill said that the tower should be the centerpiece and the design of the garage would seem to overshadow the tower’s appearance.

Mayor Kmet and Councilmember Hill asked staff to reorganize the documents comments in a searchable format that allows councilmembers and the public to better read the impacts and the proposed mitigations.

To see the final planned action environmental impact statement, go to http://www.ci.tumwater.wa.us/home/showdocument?id=8603. To search the document, save it to your desktop or other preferred folder and then open it up with Adobe Reader and search. For more information, contact Chris Carlson, City of Tumwater, (360) 754-4180 or ccarlson@ci.tumwater.wa.us. The proposed ordinance is No. O2016-003.

Editor's Correction, February 28: The following quote should have been attributed to Nancy Partlow, not Sharron Coontz: 

“....The developer should work with the site’s natural elements to make this project not only environmentally and ecologically 'sensitive' but a model to others for how it can be done. This is an opportunity to do things differently, in a truly special and unique way. I am not seeing that in this document.”

For past stories about Tumwater, the three planned action land use alternatives for the Old Brewhouse property, George Heidgerken, the stop work order in 2014 and related stories and photos, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search engine.

LOTT: Water Revolution Will Now Be Televised

LOTT: Water Revolution Will Now Be Televised

water quality  

Above: LOTT Clean Water Alliance board meetings will be televised starting next month, and the LOTT board members and Karla Fowler, LOTT Community and Environmental Policy Director, are ready for their big screen debut. LOTT and Thurston Community Television (TCTV) held a practice run with camera angles and technical fine tuning at Wednesday night’s LOTT Clean Water Alliance meeting.

Fowler, who joined the LOTT staff in 1996, is scheduled to retire from her position in July 2016. The community relations department is currently being reorganized as selection processes are underway for a public communications manager and an environmental project manager. New websites for LOTT and the WET Center will also be unveiled in 2016.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Lights! Camera! Action! At long last, the local water revolution will be televised starting next month when LOTT Clean Water Alliance board meetings and activities will be televised.  

Not only will there be plenty of technical bathroom talk about biosolids, reclaimed water, and total maximum daily loads, community members will also learn how the LOTT board of directors spends millions of dollars per year to maintain the region’s massive wastewater system.

Installation of the necessary equipment began in October, and four cameras will provide video and audio recording capabilities in the LOTT board room, training room, and classroom to serve a broad range of public events. 

The video equipment installation cost $168,375. The two year contract not to exceed $60,000 allows for Thurston Community Television (TCTV) coverage of LOTT board meetings and other events held by LOTT.

Meetings will not be televised live, but are expected be available the next day through the LOTT website. Work sessions are not currently scheduled to be televised, but TCTV executive director Deb Vinsel said the recording of work sessions would easily fit into the budget contract already created between LOTT and TCTV.

Meetings will also be broadcast on TCTV on a schedule that has not yet been determined on local Comcast channels 3 and 26.

Meetings and events other than LOTT’s could also be documented, and those entities would contract separately with TCTV for services, said Vinsel.

Vinsel said the LOTT meetings will be the first governmental entity broadcast in high definition in the county. The City of Olympia council meetings are expected to experience the next technical upgrade, scheduled for about June, 2016.

The work session and board meeting on Wednesday was taped as a practice run while LOTT board members discussed protocols as TCTV staff worked out the bugs regarding lighting, camera angles and microphone positions. 

Vinsel asked the LOTT board to ask its legal department for clarification and definition of “official record,” as Vinsel said the public sometimes contacts TCTV for meeting videos. 

Vinsel explained that TCTV simply documents meetings and is not a news agency. There is no ‘editorializing’ with the cameras, meaning they do not change camera angles to catch the reactions of individual speakers, for example, nor do they edit video.

The next LOTT Clean Water Alliance Board meeting, which will be video recorded and televised, is January 13, 2016.

LOTT Has A Lot of Business To Cover

The LOTT Clean Water Alliance operates a complex system of facilities worth an estimated $750 million and televised meetings will help increase the transparency and public oversight of staff activities and LOTT board decisions. 

The LOTT Board of Directors consists of four elected officials, one from each of the partner jurisdictions – cities of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater, and Thurston County. These positions are currently held by Cynthia Pratt, City of Lacey, Steve Langer, City of Olympia, Tom Oliva, City of Tumwater, and Sandra Romero, Thurston County.

The Wednesday night meeting was Langer’s last meeting, as he is leaving the Olympia City Council at the end of his term this month. City of Olympia councilmember Julie Hankins, his designated alternate, may take his place, and was present in the audience Wednesday night.

LOTT staff members are organized under four division directors who report to the current executive director, Mike Strub.

Wastewater treatment is an expensive business and infrastructure costs are huge. With 76 full-time positions, LOTT treats an average of 13 million gallons of wastewater each day.

LOTT’s assets include the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant, Budd Inlet Reclaimed Water Plant, Martin Way Reclaimed Water Plant, Hawks Prairie Reclaimed Water Ponds and Recharge Basins, and three major pump stations. 

LOTT serves over 52,000 acres within the Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater urban growth area. LOTT also owns and maintains 28.3 miles of sewer interceptor pipelines, and 10.7 miles of reclaimed water pipelines. The three cities own and maintain 53 miles of sewer collection system pipelines, which convey wastewater to LOTT's interceptors.

LOTT Budget

Very few members of the public attend LOTT meetings, even when it comes to the review of a multi-million dollar budget. Currently, the public can physically attend a meeting, listen to audiotapes of meetings on the website, and read meeting minutes to keep up with regional wastewater system projects.

In October, the board conducted a public hearing on the proposed 2016 Operating Budget, 2016 Capital Budget, and 2016-2050 Capital Improvements Plan. Board President, Olympia city councilmember Steve Langer, opened the public hearing at 6:41 p.m. and closed the public hearing at 6:42 p.m. because there was no public testimony.

And so, the LOTT Clean Water Alliance board of directors approved the 2016 combined Operating and Capital Budget in the amount of $39,941,715, an increase of about four percent over the current 2015 budget. 

The Operating Budget contains all the costs necessary to operate LOTT’s wastewater and reclaimed water facilities and administrative functions. The 2016 budget includes $11.8 million for operations and $8.9 million for debt payments.

The 2016 Capital Budget was approved in the amount of $19,190,920. The Capital Budget includes costs necessary to construct new facilities and upgrade, replace, and rehabilitate existing facilities.

 

The board also approved the 2016 - 2050 Capital Improvements Plan which identifies $89 million in projects anticipated through 2021. The 2016 Capital Budget is about 22 percent of that total, at $19.2 million.

 

In case of emergencies, LOTT maintains approximately $10.8 million in reserves in the bank. 

Reclaimed Water

LOTT has many ongoing projects of concern to the public, including a large-scale upgrade project for the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant and several projects related to reclaimed water.

A five year Reclaimed Water Infiltration Study, now in its third year, is examining the potential risks of infiltrating reclaimed water into groundwater. Reclaimed water contains residual chemicals from medicines, personal care products, household cleaners, fertilizers, and more.

The study’s activities for 2016 include extensive field data collection and analysis. LOTT has hired a firm to do water quality sampling at the Budd Inlet and Martin Way Reclaimed Water Plants, groundwater sampling in the Hawks Prairie and Henderson Boulevard areas, a tracer study involving sampling work in and near the Hawks Prairie infiltration site, surface water sampling in select water bodies, and analysis of potential risks to public and environmental health. 

A citizen advisory group to the study was next going to meet in early December, but that was postponed.

“We do not have a date yet for the next meeting. We will be sending out a project update soon to the study list serve, but may not call the advisory group together for a meeting until early spring, when we have more data to share,” said Lisa Dennis-Perez, LOTT public communications manager, earlier this week.

Reclaimed water has been in use throughout the region for 10 years and is currently being used by the State of Washington at Heritage Park and Marathon Park, the Port of Olympia, City of Olympia at Percival Landing Park, Hands On Children’s Museum, East Bay Public Plaza, and the City of Tumwater at the Tumwater Municipal Golf Course.

Potential new uses over the next five years include irrigation of the Capitol Campus, which could utilize up to 250,000 gallons of reclaimed water a day.

In Lacey, the Woodland Creek infiltration facility is now in operation and LOTT is now developing a Deschutes Valley reclaimed water system master plan on 45 acres onthe former brewery property in Tumwater. This project is anticipated to begin in 2029 at a cost of about $50,600,000.

The Washington State Department of Ecology, in conjunction with the Department of Health, has been working on the development of a Reclaimed Water Rule since 2006 and LOTT has been a participant from the beginning.

Since both of LOTT’s reclaimed water permits are due for renewal in 2016, LOTT is likely to be among the first utilities affected by the new rule, which is expected to be adopted by the end of the year.

Growth and the Bottom Line: Your Utility Bill

If you are a homeowner or renter in Lacey, Olympia, or Tumwater, the wastewater service charge on your utility bill is broken down into the city’s wastewater fee and LOTT treatment. This charge funds the operating budget and the portions of the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) that involve system repairs and needed upgrades.

The 2016 budget includes an increase of $1.08 in LOTT's monthly service rate from $36.06 a month in 2015 to $37.14 per month in 2016. This is a three percent increase to cover inflation.

The fee for connecting new customers to the sewer system has also increased from the current rate of $5,136.38 to $5,354.57, to cover inflation and support large-scale capital projects.

This fee, called a capacity development charge is paid when users hook up to the sewer system, and it is the primary funding source for projects that increase system capacity for new growth.

LOTT Looks Forward

Special meetings are occasionally held to share and discuss significant program and capital facility changes and challenges that are likely to face LOTT and its four partner jurisdictions.

After Wednesday's board meeting, Kelsey Browne, LOTT community relations program assistant, said she hopes the public is able to take advantage of learning more about LOTT, and lamented that the Septic Summit 2 meeting held in April was not televised.  

According to the forum minutes, seventeen elected officials were present. The first Septic Summit was held in 2011.

“We had three city councils, county commissioners, agency public information officers, and citizens here for a forum to discuss urban density septic systems. It was a full house. It just illustrated to us how we were held back by not having it televised,” said Browne.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on the evening of December 13. Significant corrections were made to budget numbers and LOTT assets on December 14 after an article review by LOTT staff. Little Hollywood apparently used 2015 budget figures instead of 2016 numbers and regrets the errors.  

For more information about LOTT, or to get on their Reclaimed Water Infiltration Study email list, go to the LOTT Clean Water Alliance website at www.lottcleanwater.org. LOTT is located at 500 Adams Street NE, Olympia.

For more information about LOTT, the Reclaimed Water Infiltration Study (formerly called the Groundwater Recharge Scientific Study), compounds of emerging concern, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search engine button.

Above: LOTT board meetings and the water revolution of South Puget Sound will be televised starting in 2016, thanks to the technological skills of staff at Thurston Community Television (TCTV).

Chambers Prairie Grange in Tumwater Gets New Chance at Life

Chambers Prairie Grange in Tumwater Gets New Chance at Life

zoning  

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.