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Defining a future skyline

Building height limits in Olympia

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published February 03, 2008

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Jeff Trinin, a board member of the Olympia Downtown Association, said the organization hasn't taken a position on the issue, but he likes Triway's proposal for the property.

"This is the way that we're going to get some of the market rate housing that we have longed for, for probably two to three decades," said Trinin, who owns Always Safe and Lock downtown.

But former Mayor Bob Jacobs, who fought the last proposal, said Triway's proposed buildings would steal views from neighbors.

"I expect that there will (be) as there was last time a widespread public opposition to this," said Jacobs, a member of Friends of the Waterfront.

The development would be called Pearlwater at Larida Passage, after the Latin name for the Olympia oyster, which used to be processed in the area. Under a preliminary design, there would be one 90-foot building along Sylvester Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues. A 65-foot building would be built next to it, with the area near Yashiro Street becoming a pedestrian walkway between the buildings. By comparison, the empty Capitol Center office building on Fifth overlooking the lake is 110 feet tall, Hawkins said.

Each of the proposed buildings would contain ground-floor retail and second-story office space, with condos also starting on the second floor. A third-floor inner courtyard would link the buildings. The living and working space would wrap around a hidden parking garage.

The city's low-rise policy has resulted in little residential development near the waterfront; Olympia has seen just about 30 market-rate housing units added in the last 30 years.

Hawkins said "high amenity" views near parks are necessary for a mixed use, high-end condominium project. She noted there's little along the strip now. "It's pretty desolate down there, especially at night."

Jacobs said he doesn't oppose 90-foot buildings away from the water. But this proposal is different.

"It's so close to the water and it so blocks views from the state Capitol," he said. "That visual connection of the state Capitol down Puget Sound" is "extremely important."