Will big vacancies like Sears get filled? Here’s an update on big business and new housing in Lacey
Lacey City Council got an update this week on development projects throughout the city, including three housing projects.
There also was an update on the vacant Sears and Rite Aid buildings at South Sound Center.
First, the housing projects:
▪ Seventh Avenue Apartments: MJR Development, which has acquired a number of office buildings in the Huntamer Park area, aims to create 376 apartments and 18,000 square feet of commercial space to a site that is east of the park and west of College Street, said current city planning and economic development manager Sarah Schelling.
Construction is expected to begin in March, she said.
“It’s a big project in Lacey Midtown, and I think it’s going to be a big driver of activity for the Huntamer Park, Lacey midtown area,” Schelling said.
▪ Schneider at Hicks Lake: This is one of two apartment projects proposed for the west shore of the lake that angered area neighbors. Schelling said the project has received permits to construct a dock and clear land, but they are not allowed to build yet because of a wet weather restriction.
To protect soils and groundwater, they are not allowed to build between Oct. 1 and May 1, she said, so construction of the apartments is expected to begin in late spring.
▪ Hogum Bay Town Center: The town center, already home to 23 Kitchens and Super Chix, is getting 350 market-rate apartments, as well as some commercial space, open space and gathering space, Schelling said.
Council member Lenny Greenstein asked about the former Sears space at South Sound Center, the city’s original shopping center on Sleater-Kinney Road that is already home to Target and Kohl’s.
A business called At Home had been exploring use of the Sears space, said Vanessa Dolbee, Community and Economic Development Director for the city.
“Our understanding is they still hold the lease with that space,” said Dolbee about At Home, but she said their building permits have expired.
“They would need to come back in and reapply for permits, and then they could start working on the tenant improvements to be able to occupy the space,” she said. “But they have not done that as of today.”
Schelling added the owner of the space has submitted a binding site application to the city to possibly subdivide land near the former Sears store for what could be a commercial pad closer to Interstate 5.
“So that’s something that they’re investigating, another commercial pad separate from the Sears piece,” she said.
Council member Nic Dunning said he has heard that a national brand is set to lease the former Rite Aid store.
“We have heard that, we but we don’t know what the user is, but it sounds like the property owner Capital Development Co. has somebody that they’re working with that could back fill that Rite Aid space,” said City Manager Rick Walk.
Dolbee said she was set to meet with someone about the Rite Aid space.
“More to come soon,” she said.
This story was originally published November 15, 2024 at 12:26 PM.
