Olympia residents turned out in force at a City Council worksession to argue in favor of a Habitat for Humanity proposal to develop 10 acres of new housing on Boulevard Road. The Habitat proposal was the only one of 12 under consideration that included opportunities for homeownership, and long-term sustainable rents affordable to lower income households. See Helen Wheatley’s Sept 2021 WIP article about how City planners want to define the Boulevard project as another “multifamily, high-density, middle-income” rental development favored for investors.
Remember that “urban village” proposed for the edge of Budd Inlet? 478 residences, plus retail and restaurants; a two-story parking structure, stalls for 833 vehicles, an elevated plaza and much more. In short, “West Bay Yards,” another exciting opportunity for investors. WBY developers just submitted responses to the City’s first review of the project application. You can get a copy at http://www.olympiawa.gov/news___information/construction_in_olympia/west_bay_yards.php
In the meantime, the Dept. of Ecology has added the site of the project to its list of “Confirmed and Suspected Contaminated Sites.”