See inside new downtown Olympia apartments, plus ‘Korean kitchen’ coming soon
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Gibson is opening soon as a 65-unit affordable housing development.
- Studio and one-bedroom rents range from $1,199 to $1,525 for 351–751 sq ft units.
- Convergent Energy withdrew its Thurston County battery storage permit application.
A former downtown Olympia office building on Union Avenue has finally emerged as The Gibson, a 65-unit affordable housing development, developers Ken and Julie Brogan said this week.
The building is opening soon, but leasing is already underway. Five apartments have been pre-leased while three more are pending, Julie said Thursday.
The Brogans are perhaps best known for redeveloping a former state office building into the Views on Fifth, market rate housing that overlooks Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet.
But with this project, the two were set on doing affordable housing, they said. To get there, they took advantage of a 12-year multifamily tax exemption through the city in exchange for making 100% of the units affordable.
“It allows us to take the property taxes and all the impact fees out of the equation, and we just pass it right to the tenants, and some of our rents in this building, some of our units in this building are up to $500 cheaper than the competition and market-rate rent, and that’s a big deal for people,” said Ken.
The studio and one-bedroom apartments range from 351 square feet to 751 square feet, with rents in a range of $1,199 to $1,525.
They want to continue doing this kind of housing, he said.
“I’d like to build a bunch of them,” he said, adding that this kind of housing is needed badly.
Some characteristics of the building: It has secured access, both secured and open parking, electrical vehicle chargers, a gym, bicycle storage and a dog-walking area that also lights up at night, said Julie.
The building has a rock ‘n’ roll theme.
It’s named The Gibson because Ken collects Gibson guitars, but in the lobby they also have photographs of some famous rockers, including Jimi Hendrix, Joe Walsh and Cliff Burton, and some of the units in the building have been named for them.
There was a plan to hang a 26-foot guitar on the building’s facade, but there were concerns about whether the structure would support it. Ken said he is re-thinking that idea and may go with a mural instead.
‘Korean kitchen’ coming soon
A business previously known as Fuji Japanese, which is at the corner of State Avenue and East Bay Drive, and that was recently renovated, has emerged as a new restaurant, according to a check of the property.
The Olympian stopped by the location in May and noticed it was under renovation. Another check this week revealed a sign on the building, which reads “Sodam Korean Kitchen,” and “coming soon.”
The restaurant has the following tag line: “Authentic flavors. Warm memories.”
Stay tuned.
Company withdraws permit application
New York-based Convergent Energy and Power, which proposed a battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Rochester area of Thurston County, has withdrawn its permit application, a county spokeswoman said Wednesday.
“On June 11, we were informed that Convergent would be withdrawing their permit application,” said Susan Melnyk via email.
Melnyk said she thought the withdrawal was tied to a Puget Sound Energy decision. PSE operates a substation near the proposed BESS site
The Olympian reached out to PSE and Convergent, but only heard from the utility on Thursday.
“The developer owns the (BESS) facility, and we pay to store the energy there until we need it,” said PSE spokeswoman Melanie Coon.
However, the two parties could not come to terms on that agreement, she said.
The BESS proposal did not have an easy journey. The project required a special use permit from the county that was first denied by the county hearing examiner, but later approved by the examiner on reconsideration.
The decision to approve the permit was then appealed by residents to the Board of Thurston County Commissioners in May. It was ultimately upheld by the board with some additional conditions.
Although upheld, Convergent later withdrew the application about two weeks after the board’s decision.
County issues SEPA decision for Tenino-area land
The county has issued a determination of non-significance under the state Environmental Policy Act for a development proposal in the Tenino area.
A determination of non-significance means an environmental impact statement will not be required.
The applicant proposes to log and clear 30 acres of approved gravel mine expansion area, per a special use permit, according to the county. The land has an unassigned address in the Johnson Creek Road Southeast area of Tenino.
The property owner is Weyerhaeuser, according to county information.
Care to comment on this proposal? The comment period ends at 1 p.m. July 16 and the SEPA appeal deadline is 1 p.m. July 23.
To comment, go to the county’s “comment on a project” website.
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.
