You know that eyesore of a building on Fourth Avenue? It’s about to be knocked down

A long vacant and deteriorating single-story building along Fourth Avenue is about to be knocked down. The city of Olympia on Monday announced that a demolition permit has been issued for its removal.

The building at 411 Fourth Ave. W. sits in the shadow of the former Capitol Center building, which is now set to become Views on Fifth, a mixed-use project that developer Ken Brogan and his partners are pursuing. Once the single-story building is removed, that site, too, will become part of the mixed-use development.

The demolition work is set to begin Tuesday and conclude March 23. Work is planned between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sidewalks will be blocked off, so alternate routes will be designated for pedestrians. Motorists should be prepared for slower traffic in the area.

Not only is the demolition work a sign that Views on Fifth is inching closer to reality, but the Olympia Hearing Examiner on Friday denied two motions for consideration on his original ruling to approve the Views on Fifth site plan and his decision to dismiss an appeal under the state Environmental Policy Act.

Hearing Examiner Mark Scheibmeir approved the Views on Fifth site plan last month and dismissed the appeal in January.

Both motions for consideration were filed by a group of individuals, including Ralph Munro, Jerry Reilly and Friends of the Waterfront. They have long wanted to see the 9-story Capitol Center building demolished to protect view corridors in the area.

If the group wants to further appeal the hearing examiner’s decision, they will now have to do so in Thurston County Superior Court.

This story was originally published March 6, 2018 at 5:38 AM with the headline "You know that eyesore of a building on Fourth Avenue? It’s about to be knocked down."