Olympia urges downtown building owners to fight crime through design
Lights, paint, cameras and fences are considered key tools for discouraging crime — and changing perceptions — in downtown Olympia.
The city is seeking candidates for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, commonly referred to as CPTED (pronounced “sep-ted”).
The idea is inspired by the oft-repeated “broken windows theory,” which suggests that a building with a few broken windows, if left unfixed, will eventually encourage more broken windows and vandalism over time.
“A dilapidated area invites crime. It shows people don’t care or don’t have money to care,” said Anna Schlecht, Community Development Block Grant program manager for Olympia. “Paint doesn’t solve everything, but it makes a difference.”
CPTED principles focus on property access, natural surveillance, territorial reinforcement and maintenance. A local example is the gate at the entrance of Dillingers Cocktails and Kitchen on Washington Street, Schlecht said. The gate prevents people from sleeping or defecating in the alcove — a common complaint among downtown business owners.
“That’s exactly the sort of thing that keeps criminal activity from occurring there overnight,” Schlecht said of the gate.
Likewise, proponents say CPTED principles provide a quick and affordable deterrent against graffiti, litter, drug activity and more.
The city has notified downtown Olympia building owners about the program and is accepting proposals through Dec. 1. The program is funded by $25,000 from a federal Community Development Block Grant. Funding decisions will be made by Dec. 14, with all projects slated for completion by August 2015, according to the city.
City staff recently conducted a block-by-block analysis of downtown properties, then compared those findings with nuisance crime data to determine which areas need more attention. The top two “hot spots” are the 300 block of Fourth Avenue and the area near the Olympia Transit Center at State Avenue and Washington Street.
The Fourth Avenue site includes a prime example of CPTED in action with the Griswold Office Supply building, which has sat vacant for 10 years following a fire. Last spring, volunteers painted the building’s facade and added a mural to improve the block’s appearance.
“The goal is to focus on what we can right now,” said Brian Wilson, the city’s downtown liaison. “There’s some low-hanging fruit out there.”
More than a dozen possible projects would qualify for the CPTED treatment in downtown Olympia. Examples include Petworks on Fourth Avenue, where bushes along the building attract needles and garbage.
Other fixes include more alleyway lighting as well as security cameras near the future Columbia Heights Apartments at Fourth and Columbia Street.
Located across from the Olympia Transit Center, the Rockway-Leland Building was identified for a potential CPTED project, specifically as a candidate for a new paint job.
“The whole CPTED thing is fantastic. It attacks perceptions that are difficult for people to overcome,” said David Rauh, general manager of Mixx 96.1 FM, which is housed in the Rockway-Leland Building. “It makes people feel more comfortable about downtown.”
Fences and paint are recommended for the Rex Building at Fourth and Franklin, specifically for the entrance to the former Paprika Café. The property lacks “natural surveillance” and provides a place for people to “do things without being seen,” said Amy Stull, senior program specialist with the Olympia Police Department.
In another example, the Diamond parking lot at Fourth and Franklin has no clear territorial boundaries from neighboring businesses such as King Solomon’s Reef. Such boundaries could reinforce the intended use of the parking lot while reducing vandalism on nearby properties, Stull said.
One example of CPTED outside of downtown Olympia is the parking area off of Flora Vista at Priest Point Park. Stull said that area had long been a target for vehicle prowls. Last summer, crews trimmed vegetation at the parking area to increase visibility, while signs were installed to encourage people to change their behavior, Stull said.
Since the work was finished in August 2013, the site has generated just four reports of vehicle prowls, Stull said. “If you look at most crime prevention techniques right now, they fit in the CPTED spectrum,” she said.
CPTED has been embraced in several U.S. cities and beyond, including the United Kingdom.
Tacoma has promoted CPTED principles at both the commercial and residential levels for several years. There is also an ongoing effort to educate that community about the concept.
For example, Tacoma provides rapid graffiti removal services for properties, but after two incidents, the recipient must go through a CPTED survey to qualify for more graffiti removal.
Allyson Griffith, program specialist with Tacoma’s Community Based Services, recalls two building owners on the outskirts of downtown Tacoma who had maxed out their graffiti removal services. They eventually installed murals after undergoing a CPTED survey and have been graffiti-free ever since, Griffith said.
Tacoma landlords who seek crime-free certification must get a CPTED assessment, Griffith said. She recalled a success story where one property owner installed more lighting and modified the traffic flow from an adjacent alley to help reduce drug dealing on the site.
To deter crime, even homeowners can do simple things such as trimming bushes, locking doors and increasing overall visibility of their residences, Griffith said.
“We certainly talk about it at a basic level with neighborhood groups,” Griffith said of CPTED. “It is a philosophy.”
This story was originally published November 2, 2014 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Olympia urges downtown building owners to fight crime through design."