See inside new downtown Olympia apartments that nod to city’s brewing history
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Malt House at Legion Way and Jefferson Street contains 57 mixed-use apartments.
- Malt House units range from 381 to 970 square feet with rents from $1,275 to $2,200.
- Each Malt House unit has its own heating, cooling, and dedicated outdoor air system.
Curious about the building at Legion Way and Jefferson Street in downtown Olympia? It’s called the Malt House and is another mixed-use project – 57 apartments and ground-floor commercial space – developed by Urban Olympia, which has done a number of similar developments downtown.
A first glance at the building and one might think that it’s an example of adaptive reuse, in which an existing building is re-designed for a new purpose, such as for housing.
But that is not the case here. Before the Malt House became a reality, it used to be a parking lot with a drive-up teller once operated by the Washington State Employees Credit Union.
However, the developer and Thomas Architecture Studios, which has worked closely with Urban Olympia over the years, were aiming for the feel of a warehouse.
“If you look right across the street, that’s some of the inspiration,” said TAS owner Ron Thomas in reference to the former Olympia Knitting Mills warehouse on Legion Way.
“So we wanted it to look almost warehouse-like,” he said. “The proportions of the windows that you see are very large and industrial and that’s on purpose.”
And in a nod to the city’s brewing history, it has highlighted the beer-making process on exterior walls of the building. There’s also a contemporary connection to brewing as well because it’s in an area with Ilk Lodge, Three Magnets Brewing Co. and Well 80, all of which brew beer.
“This is one of the things that I appreciate about Urban Olympia and Walker John’s (the owner) passion for urban design,” said Thomas. “He doesn’t want anything to be cookie-cutter.”
Malt House is home to 57 units, ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments. They range in size from 381 square feet to 970 square feet and in rent from $1,275 to $2,200, said Teri Haglund, the designated broker and property manager for Urban Olympia.
There is no central heating, so each unit has its own heating and cooling system, as well as dedicated outdoor air systems, which use outdoor air for ventilation.
New food trailer eyes south Thurston County site
A new food trailer called The Spot is coming to a site across from Great Wolf Lodge in south Thurston County, the owner Ryan Griffin said this week.
Griffin is a former chef at the Lacey restaurant Ricardo’s who decided to go into business for himself, he said.
But why the Rochester area?
“We just moved there,” he said. “We bought a house and some property, and I like the community, so I figured, bring some good food there.”
On the menu: cheesesteak sandwiches. A spicy cheese is under consideration, he said, but otherwise customers should expect mushrooms, onions and peppers on those sandwiches, as well as good meat and locally baked bread.
Why call it The Spot?
“I named it that because you never remember where you’re going to go when you had good food at a place,” he said. “You’re like, ‘Oh, what’s the name of that one spot we went to?’ And I said, you know what? How about we just name it The Spot.”
Griffin is waiting on some approvals from the state Department of Labor & Industries before he opens. He definitely wants to be open by this summer, he said.
Olympia Symphony Orchestra has new executive director
Geoff Yost is the new executive director of the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, the organization announced. He begins June 1.
He replaces Thom Mayes who will support the transition in directors in the coming months, according to a news release.
Yost brings more than fifteen years of experience in strategic communications and nonprofit leadership in arts and culture, most recently as Director of Marketing and Communications at Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, S.C., the release reads.
“The Olympia Symphony has tremendous momentum under (Music Director) Alexandra Arrieche’s leadership, and a community that wants to know about it,” said Yost in a statement. “I’m joining to amplify and help this organization sustain its deep commitment to this community. Being able to do this work in a community I’ve heard about my entire life is especially meaningful.”
Burgess joins Olympia Federal Savings’ board of directors
Real estate and land-use attorney Heather Burgess of Olympia-based Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess is Olympia Federal Savings’ newest board member.
Burgess earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard and her law degree from the University of Washington. She previously served on the board at Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County and currently serves on the Thurston Economic Development Council board.
Olympia Federal also recently honored retiring board members Kathleen Bauknight and Mary Gentry and elected members Genevieve Canceko-Chan and Parfait Bassale to new three-year terms. Canceko-Chan will serve as Chair of the Audit Committee and Bassale as Chair of the Governance Committee.
UTC names new pipeline safety director
Stephanie Arnold is the new pipeline safety director at the state Utilities and Transportation Commission, which is headquartered in Lacey. Her first day on the job is May 1.
Arnold previously was the statewide process safety management compliance manager at the state Department of Labor & Industries, where she led a team focused on inspections and safety at highly hazardous facilities, according to a news release.
She has also held leadership roles in health, safety, and environmental management in both the public and private sectors, including work with refinery operations and regulatory compliance, the release reads.
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.
