Port meeting will focus on East Bay redevelopment

OLYMPIA – Port of Olympia officials have narrowed their list to three developers that could contribute to at least $100 million worth of public-private investment on East Bay, including housing, office, retail and a hotel and conference center.

Tonight, the public can meet them.

All three developers – Lorig of Seattle, MJR Development of Kirkland and Tarragon of Seattle – will give their pitches for redevelopment at an open house from 5:15 to 7:30 p.m. at Washington Middle School, 3100 Cain Road S.E.

Port commissioners have talked for years about redeveloping more than 13 acres of port property along East Bay. Discussions have picked up steam in the past two years; plans have been approved for a new Hands On Children’s Museum, public plaza and LOTT headquarters/education center on East Bay.

Tonight’s discussion will focus on the next part of the plan – bringing in private developers to lease property from the port and potentially build new office, retail, housing and hotel buildings.

“We see it as a really exciting point in the process,” said Kari Qvigstad, the port’s marketing and business development director.

The investment represents at least $100 million in public and private dollars, Qvigstad said.

The port commission could pick a developer to work with – or a combination of the three – on June 22, she said.

ABOUT THE PROPOSALS

 • Lorig proposes new residential and office space on the block where the Shell station stands at State Avenue and Plum Street. Farther west along State, it proposes a hotel and 650-seat conference center. A 67-unit residential facility would sit to the northwest. Next to the children’s museum, along Marine Drive, it proposes 33 residential units. North of that, 142 town homes are proposed on port-owned property that was not part of the redevelopment area.

 • Tarragon also anticipates putting residential units on the block containing the Shell station. It proposes putting office and retail space next to the residential units, and possibly a restaurant on the lot to the northwest.

 • MJR’s plan shows a potential conference facility and office and retail space on the lots north of the children’s museum along Marine Drive.

20-YEAR PLAN

Qvigstad said it’s too early to say how tall the buildings will be.

The development is expected to take place in the next 10 to 20 years, said Mike Reid, the port’s property-development manager.

But some activity will begin soon. Stan Palmer Construction of Port Orchard will begin developing new streets, sewers, sidewalks and lights to make way for the development. Jefferson Street will be extended from its end at State Avenue north for three new blocks. A new road will connect Thurston Avenue at Jefferson Street to Marine Drive. The Port of Olympia Commission approved a $3.9 million contract for the work Monday.

Qvigstad said the new roads are planned to be in place by the end of the year.

OTHER GOALS

The port also is finalizing its cleanup action plan with the state Department of Ecology on the area to be privately developed. Qvigstad said she’s not sure whether it would take place all at one time or individually as each lot is developed.

Then there are the publicly owned projects, which are under way now:

 • The four-story, $18.25 million LOTT Alliance headquarters/education center is under construction and is set to be complete next year. LOTT is buying the land from the port for the project.

 • The $18 million, three-story Hands On Children’s Museum is targeted for construction in spring 2010 and could be complete by fall 2011, according to the museum. The city of Olympia is buying the land for it.

 • A public plaza, more than 30,000 square feet with a water feature, landscaping and open space, is scheduled to open at the same time as the museum. It will be developed through an interlocal agreement among the Port of Olympia, the LOTT Alliance and the city of Olympia.

Matt Batcheldor: 360-704-6869

mbatcheldor@theolympian.com