What’s happening at 93rd Avenue in Tumwater? And a corner-changing project in Lacey advances
By Christmas or early next year, an area of Tumwater at 93rd Avenue Southwest, just west of the freeway, will be home to a new truck stop called the Flying J Travel Center.
It’s a Pilot-operated truck stop, although it’s a slightly different brand than the one that currently serves northbound truck traffic east of the freeway. It will sell gas and diesel, it will have a large convenience store and a fast-food restaurant and it will have on-site showers for truck drivers.
And the Chehalis Tribe expects it will be one of several businesses that come to the area, said Chris Richardson, managing director of Chehalis Tribal Enterprises, the economic development arm of the tribe.
The Chehalis Tribe bought the property in 2015, which was once home to a truck stop, and has been working on the property ever since, Richardson said.
“When we bought it, we knew there was an existing environmental issue under the ground,” said Richardson, which led to a major cleanup of the area.
The tribe, along with some property owners in the area, also have shared in the cost to bring water and sewer to the site, including a new lift station which is under construction, as well as shared in the cost to address city of Tumwater road requirements, Richardson said.
The property was once in unincorporated Thurston County, but later was annexed by Tumwater, he said. The road work includes widening 93rd Avenue and eventually putting in a roundabout to serve the area.
The Flying J is expected to employ about 50 people. The tribe owns about 45 acres in the area.
Other business happenings
Vancouver, Washington-based MAJ Development Corp., which has proposed redeveloping the shopping center at 4022 and 4040 Pacific Avenue, as well as at 909 Sleater-Kinney Road, has advanced its project, according to the city of Lacey.
Developer representatives previously met with city officials in a presubmission conference. Now, they have submitted a development application to the city.
According to the city:
“Redevelopment will take place in two phases and will include demolition of existing structures and construction of approximately 19,579 square feet of new commercial buildings on five commercial building pad sites, stormwater and parking lot redevelopment, and site landscape improvements.”
If you would like to comment on this proposal, send comments by 5 p.m. March 2 to Lacey Community Development Department senior planner, Sarah Schelling, at sschelli@ci.lacey.wa.us.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.
This story was originally published February 26, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
