Olympia affordable housing community sells for $20M. Plus, Chick-fil-A advances
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chick‑fil‑A gets DNS and advances with dual drive‑thru.
- Merritt Manor affordable housing sells for $19.55M to Mercer Island buyer.
- Merritt Manor affordable housing sells for $19.55M to Mercer Island buyer.
A new Chick-fil-A restaurant that will eventually replace a Red Lobster on Martin Way East continues to advance through the land-use process after the city of Olympia released an environmental decision tied to the proposal this week.
The city has issued a determination of non-significance under the state Environmental Policy Act, meaning an environmental impact statement will not be required.
The site around 4505 Martin Way E. is already a well-established commercial area. The city of Lacey has a say in the project, too.
“The city of Lacey will need to review the right-in, right-out access on College Street since this is their right-of-way,” the environmental decision reads.
The new Chick fil-A restaurant is set to have a dual drive-thru, which is consistent with other locations. The fast-food business has made quite the splash in Thurston County in recent years. They now have locations in Lacey, west Olympia, plus forthcoming sites on Martin Way and in Yelm.
Merritt Manor has new owner
The affordable housing community in Olympia known as Merritt Manor has been sold for $19.55 million, the commercial real estate website connect cre reports.
The commercial real estate business Northmarq represented the seller Fourth Street Merritt Manor LLC, according to the report. The buyer was Merritt Manor LLC of Mercer Island, according to a check of public information.
“Built in 2020, Merritt Manor offers two- and three-bedroom floor plans with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, moveable kitchen islands, full-size washers and dryers, carpeted bedrooms, plank vinyl flooring, and walk-in closets,” the report reads.
The 82-unit Merritt Manor is at 3335 Martin Way E. It was developed for families making 60-80% of the area’s median income, The Olympian reported. In 2020, that was around $74,000 a year, but now it’s closer to $80,000.
“Despite the property’s unique multifamily tax exemption structure limiting the buyer pool, our team successfully sourced a private investor with deep Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Housing and Urban Development lending experience,” the report reads.
Olympia Refills opens in west Olympia
Brian Walter and business partner Carin Christy have opened Olympia Refills in west Olympia.
The two have joined forces because both believe deeply in recycling and sustainability.
“I have made, over the years, so many attempts to try to find products that I like to use in my home, but I have to mail order them, or it’s kind of a lot of work,” said Christy. “So our goal is to make this accessible for people, so it’s easy to practice sustainability.”
“I also have really strong values around this, like I worry a lot about how quickly we’re making the earth uninhabitable,” Walter said. “... I recycle fastidiously, but even a lot of stuff that you put in recycling doesn’t get recycled, right?”
So what is Olympia Refills?
“Olympia Refills is a sustainable goods, home and body goods and refillery business,” said Christy. “A refillery is a place where you can refill body wash, shampoo, laundry soaps, dish soaps, all kinds of things. Our goal is to reduce single-use plastic containers, so we want to provide multiple options for refilling, and we also have a lot of sustainable kind of grab and go items as well.
“We also have containers for sale, so if people don’t have their own container, they can come in,” she said. “We also have pre-labeled containers for some products.”
The business also accepts some hard-to-recycle products, such as household batteries, Walter added. If you visit the store, ask about those items they accept.
Olympia Refills is open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, as well as by appointment. The business is at 2639 Parkmont Lane SW, Suite B.
Where is that?
It’s off Black Lake Boulevard, between Capital Mall Drive and Cooper Point Road. If you’ve gone to either intersection, you’ve gone too far. Be sure to turn onto 12th Court Southwest to find Parkmont Lane, and look for the Olympia Refills signs.
Daycare proposed on Littlerock Road
A nearly 14,000-square-foot daycare has been proposed in Tumwater, according to city of Tumwater information, at 7304 Littlerock Road SW.
Developer representatives were set to meet with the city’s Development Review Committee for a pre-application meeting.
The city’s DRC provides feedback to developers on what local government will expect of their projects should they move forward.
People news
Several employees have been promoted or hired at Olympia Federal Savings, the thrift announced.
- Nick Guyer has been promoted to assistant branch manager in Hawks Prairie from universal banker.
- Kitty Jones-Davis has joined Olympia Federal as the assistant branch manager in Yelm.
- Isabella Marocco has been promoted to senior loan officer from loan officer. She serves the downtown Olympia and Lacey branches.
- Kirsten Tate has been promoted to branch manager of the downtown Olympia branch from assistant branch manager.
- Shea Wahlstrom has been promoted to marketing and outreach manager from digital outreach and communications coordinator.
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.
