Realtor proposes 5-story building for West Bay Drive in Olympia

A five-story office, retail and residential building has been proposed for undeveloped land on West Bay Drive in Olympia.

The West Bay Schrader Development was submitted to the city’s Site Plan Review Committee for consideration March 16.

The project’s applicant is commercial real estate broker Tom Schrader, who said the development would be similar to others along West Bay Drive such as the Smyth Landing building.

Schrader’s project at 1215 and 1301 West Bay Drive NW could break ground within the next couple of years, depending on financing and construction requirements. The site is among several undeveloped properties along West Bay Drive that already are zoned for professional office and residential use.

If it comes to fruition, the project would come with on-site parking and views of West Bay — and would be located across from the abandoned Reliable Steel site, which is one of the most polluted properties in Thurston County.

However, Schrader said his nearly 1.5-acre site has no known history of pollution and is “really almost like virgin ground.” One goal is to ensure the residential units are affordable enough to attract younger residents.

“We don’t want to do $500,000 townhomes,” he said. “The life of the city is really the younger people and their families.”

No action was taken by the Site Plan Review Committee, which examines such proposals for any major issues prior to a formal application to the city. The next step would be a formal land use application or engineering application.

This story was originally published March 19, 2016 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Realtor proposes 5-story building for West Bay Drive in Olympia."