Downtown lot awaits development. Plus, now you can get ramen to go on Yelm Highway
This story has been updated with new information.
A downtown Olympia lot in the 500 block of Seventh Avenue Southeast has been cleaned up, including removal of the fire-damaged house that used to be there, a check of the property shows.
The only thing there now is a lot covered in straw. The house burned about two years ago in a fire that displaced four people, The Olympian reported.
So what happens now?
The property is privately owned. The Olympian reached out to that owner — Duane Moore of Manium LLC — and he replied by email Friday morning.
Here’s what he had to say:
“We hope it can be developed into 9-stories of elderly and developmentally disabled low-income, homeless housing with ground floor social services,” he wrote in his email.
“We are asking $275,000 for the lot or a partnership to create the needed housing.”
He also goes on to say the following: “Hopefully the city will make the dead-end they created into a nice park versus its present abandoned use when they blocked off Jefferson Street at the tunnels.”
Two things were not immediately clear: whether a building of that size or a park near railroad tracks would be allowed.
And right before deadline, Moore sent one additional idea: “The dream is to partner up for a transitional independent living situation for autistic young adults from high school to adulthood,” he wrote.
There currently is no development proposal for the lot, said Tim Smith, the city of Olympia’s Community Planning and Development Director, but it is zoned downtown business, which allows for a broad range of potential uses.
Residential, multifamily, commercial and mixed-use development would work on the site, Smith said.
What would you like to see there? Stay tuned.
Get your ramen to go
Nisqually Markets has announced the opening of Ramen Go!, which they are calling a “state-of-the-art instant ramen experience.” It debuted on May 6 at 12820 Yelm Highway SE.
“Ramen Go! is a game-changer,” said Sam Roark, Nisqually Markets director of retail operations, in a statement.
“We wanted to offer something warm, fast, and comforting — and nothing beats ramen for that,” he said. “Our state-of-the-art machine makes it easy for customers to grab a hot meal on the go without sacrificing quality or flavor.”
Here’s how it works:
- Customers pick from two noodle favorites: Buldak and Shin Ramen.
- Customers make their purchase, receiving a bowl, lid, chopsticks, and toppings from the cashier.
Ramen Go! items are EBT-eligible.
Nisqually Markets plans to expand the program to its Frederickson location next, with more stores to follow, according to a news release.
Lodge to be rebuilt
The city of Lacey has received a shoreline development permit and commercial design review application from the Gwinwood Retreat Center, which is on the southwest shore of Hicks Lake.
The center is proposing to rebuild MacKinnon Lodge, a 5,674-square-foot lodge that was damaged by an electrical fire on July 4, 2023.
The project is at 6015 30th Ave. SE.
The land is owned by a coalition of 28 churches that previously used the area as a camp, but now run it as a nonprofit retreat center. Most of the buildings were built in 1947, The Olympian previously reported.
Care to comment on the application? Send them to Lacey Senior Planner Samra Seymour at samra.seymour@cityoflacey.org.
New credit union branch
Washington State Employees Credit Union has opened its 25th branch at the Hogum Bay Town Center at 2390 Marvin Road NE, Suite K.
It’s the first new branch in the credit union’s headquarters region since it opened the Tumwater Town Center branch in 2013, the credit union announced in a news release.
“We built the branch around meeting the member where they want to be for each interaction,” said Michelle Curts, southern regional branch director, in a statement.
“It’s less transactional and more consultative when the team can easily shift from a teller-style station to sitting with the member on a couch or moving into a quiet office to match each member’s needs.”
The branch design is completely fresh from the ground up, Curts said, all the way down to the shape of the desks members walk up to at the start of a transaction, which have slightly angled tops to be more space-efficient and to allow members to naturally face away from each other for more privacy during transactions, the news release reads.
“The team is excited to be working in this new space with these updated approaches,” Hawks Prairie Branch Manager Meghan McDonald said in a statement.
“We get to try out some new tools and configurations, which we think will help improve the member experience for folks who come to visit our branch.”
The branch will have a 24-hour walk-up ATM, coin machine, night drop and notary services as well as parking for members.
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 May 9, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
