The Port of Olympia | East Bay District Redevelopment

PROJECT UPDATE [As of June 23rd, 2009]:
Development Begins in Downtown Olympia's East Bay District:
Port of Olympia Commissioners selected Tarragon of Seattle as the developer for the 6.83-acre East Bay District on June 22, 2009, and authorized the Executive Director to enter into an exclusive negotiation agreement with them. 
The Port's public selection process brought proposals from three qualified developers: Tarragon, Lorig of Seattle, and MJR Development of Kirkland. The selection criteria which was detailed in the Request for Proposals included development concept, market analysis, preferred transaction structure, community benefit and capability of developer. While all three developers are highly qualified and capable with excellent track records, the Commission found that Tarragon offered the best match to the Request for Proposals in these important areas:

• Tarragon plans to develop all six parcels.
• Their concept requires the least amount of taxpayer dollars.
• They are proposing a traditional development role in which the developer makes the upfront investment.
• They match the Commission's preference to develop parcels 6 and 7 for uses other than housing.

The Port is responsible for ensuring that district parcels are "pad ready" building sites: This includes-environmental cleanup, which is supervised by Washington State Department of Ecology, and the construction of infrastructure such as underground utilities and roads. The Port awarded the contract for the East Bay infrastructure to Stan Palmer Construction in May 2009 and anticipates completion in the fall.

Public Process Helped Define Vision for District: With guidance from its Public Advisory Committee, the Port conducted a public outreach process in 2003 that helped form the vision for the East Bay District. The Request for Proposals asked for proposals that correspond to the vision priorities: pedestrian-friendly and accessible, mixed-use development, economic stimulus, 18-hour activity, LEED standards, and connectivity with downtown, Port Peninsula and City Hall, which is under construction one block south of the district on Fourth Avenue.

The Port invited the community to meet the three short-listed developers, see their proposals, and ask questions at the East Bay District Open House on May 20, 2009, at Washington Middle School in Olympia. The developers presented conceptual designs, community benefits of their proposals, and their development capabilities. LOTT Alliance, Hands On Children's Museum and the Port also had displays and answered questions. The community response to the concepts was positive. All questions that were raised were reviewed by staff and forwarded to the Commissioners for their consideration.