Vacant ‘eyesore’ on Olympia’s Bethel Street demolished. What is going to happen next?
An old gas station across from Olympia’s San Francisco Street Bakery that’s been vacant for decades and collecting layers of graffiti has finally been razed. The Olympia Northeast Neighborhood Alliance (ONNA) says it’s been a long time coming.
The dilapidated structure at the corner of Bethel and San Francisco streets was torn down Wednesday to make way for the community’s future, ONNA announced earlier this week. The ONNA is comprised of the East Bay Drive, Northeast, Bigelow Highlands, Bigelow and former Upper Eastside neighborhood associations. The neighborhood association plans to use the lot as a space for community gatherings.
“This is the first step toward transforming this public safety hazard, graffiti magnet, and hideous eyesore into a vital and vibrant space for neighbors to gather and get connected,” the ONNA stated on its Facebook page.
What do the ONNA and other neighborhood leaders have in store for this newly available lot? Here’s what we know.
Demolishing the vacant shop
The city of Olympia has long wanted to transform the vacant shack at 1400 Bethel Street NE, at one point a business known as Jack’s Auto Repair, into a hub for community gatherings and small businesses. But it’s taken years for the city to integrate its ideas into action.
In 2016, the ONNA completed a sub-area plan aimed at converting the tattered gas station into something more, according to Olympia’s Planning and Development Department. After years of meetings and forming a collective vision of the space, the city of Olympia issued a demolition permit on April 12, which was carried out Wednesday, finally toppling the “eyesore” of Olympia.
Olympia is now designating the space as a “neighborhood center” under its Comprehensive Plan and City zoning. A private party currently owns the space.
Future of the Bethel Street space
ONNA wants to nurture a strong community presence where the graffiti gas station once stood. To do that, the organization is looking for funding.
The organization has applied for a $8,000 Neighborhood Matching Grant with the city of Olympia. The grant would allow the neighborhood association to purchase seating and fencing and hire landscapers to maintain the new community hub. The organization also wants to welcome pop-up food trucks to set up business at its property, the organization stated Wednesday.
“The five surrounding neighborhood associations have been working together to see something positive here for over 10 years,” stated Mike Dexel, ONNA chairperson, in the city’s news release. “I’m eager to see the site become a neighborhood asset where the community can relax and gather.”
The site is awaiting cleanup from the Washington Department of Ecology. The department has confirmed several toxic chemicals in the location’s soil and groundwater.
The neighborhood alliance plans to release more information about the space’s development in the coming weeks.
Correction: The original version of this story stated that ONNA owned the lot. A private party owns it. The story has also been updated to clarify that site is awaiting cleanup.
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
