Thursday, October 1, 2026
The City of Olympia is seeking a consultant to conduct an analysis of commercial vacancies in downtown.
Request for proposals are due by Friday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m. The contract is expected to be valued at up to $40,000.
The analysis would evaluate the extent and causes of vacant or underutilized storefronts, offices and upper floors, and develop strategies to improve occupancy rates and strengthen the downtown business environment.
The selected consultant would gather quantitative and qualitative data, engage with stakeholders and identify barriers to occupancy.
“The work will support the city’s goals of strengthening the downtown economy, supporting local businesses, and ensuring the long-term vitality of the urban core,” a Request for Proposals document states..
Through the analysis, the city aims to achieve the following:
The consultant would create a detailed inventory and mapping of commercial properties, conduct stakeholder interviews and surveys, and categorize vacancy drivers, such as structural, market-driver, regulatory and perceptual factors.
The analysis would also include research on best practices from three to five cities that have successfully addressed similar downtown vacancy challenges, evaluating their applicability to Olympia.
Final deliverables include a comprehensive report with evidence-based recommendations organized by timeline and implementation steps, plus presentations to city staff and Olympia City Council.
Proposals must be submitted electronically to the Requests for Proposals coordinator at jmachado@ci.olympia.wa.us. Only an emailed submission will be accepted.
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Me_In_Oly
Don't adopt policies that are hostile to businesses, and businesses might want to move to Downtown Olympia. Make the necessary budget cuts to correct the budget shortfall. Commit to a clean, safe downtown.
Thursday, October 9, 2025 Report this
JW
Hiring a consultant is the go-to option for the city council to act like they're doing something while not doing anything at all.
How about we clean up the crime and the rampant transient camping as well as support businesses instead of making it economically difficult for them to stay open? Did not this city council just raise the B&O tax so they could, as one council member stated, keep up the DEI and climate initiatives?
Since I just identified the problem and the solutions, I'll take my $40,000 now.
Thursday, October 9, 2025 Report this
GrandmaDee
JW has covered most of the issues but my friends share other concerns.
If there were convenient places to park that didn’t require parallel parking on busy streets or walking on broken sidewalks it would undoubtedly help.
Why hire a consultant when you can just ask those of us who live in the adjoining area why we avoid the downtown? Use the consultant fees to fix the sidewalks and/or hire more personnel to help get the area clear of those who make others feel unsafe.
Thursday, October 9, 2025 Report this
KatAshe
I realize that with cost and lack of additional officers, this isn’t possible, but old fashioned policing with police walking a beat say 5-6pm to midnight, could be of help to both merchants and those who would like to spend more time in the downtown core, shopping, dining and going to entertainment venues.
Thursday, October 9, 2025 Report this
KarenM
What the City can do to support the economy is do the basics of city government well. That includes providing community safety, great emergency response, safe streets including sidewalks, clean water, and parks for people to enjoy.
Friday, October 10, 2025 Report this
OlyBlues
Downtown Olympia is a cesspool and %#%^hole. That assessment is accurate and does not require a $40K study although the council would have to take off their rose color glasses and turn off their spin machine to see reality. Lack of parking, exorbitant city taxes, unchecked homelessness, begging, rampant open drug use, council promoting increasing the minimum wage for Oly, lack of police, and the city council tying the police department's hands are all contributing to the destruction and deep malaise that is downtown. What business in their right mind would want to open down here!?
Friday, October 10, 2025 Report this
TheVirtualOne
Agree with most of the comments already made. I believe the real reasons for hiring a consultant in this situation are twofold 1) Council wants to act clueless about how to deal with things we already know need to happen 2) They can blame the consultant for anything they do that gets push back or doesn't work out like they'd hoped it would. A corollary to hiring a consultant is the council likely already has someone already picked out that will give them the predetermined answers they want the study to produce. The request for proposals process is used to cover their tracks. That's what happens when you elect incompetent people to municipal political positions. They waste time and money on things they should have done themselves. I'm sure we'll all be waiting with baited breath for the consultants report and presentation.
Friday, October 10, 2025 Report this
Patriot
In my 45+ years as a small business the City of Olympia has always been anti small business. It's bad enough the layers of regulations you have to endure and now the total lack of regard for the safety of Olympia citizens. That is cause of vacant storefronts. IT is not a policing problem. I have talked to officers many times over the years and their hands are tied by the city council. It's beyond comprehension that they give crooks and drug addicts more respect than the taxpayer. This is not going to end well for Olympia.
Friday, October 10, 2025 Report this
Dogmom
Wow, I agree with every comment made on this subject. A $40,000 consultant is absolutely NOT needed. Are you serious that not one of you on the City Council can figure out what the problems & vacant businesses are being caused by. I wonder if any of the consultants the city continually hires happen to b family members or friends or someone they owe favors to.
Sunday, October 12, 2025 Report this
LindaD
The problems downtown are the same problems that closed the Artesian park. Also, the city is removing parking as fast as they can to enable more pedestrians and cyclists. This is ablism at it's best. If you can walk or cycle to downtown and back from the neighborhoods you're about as able as it gets. If you're mobility limited, and need to drive, the city wants you to take the bus or stay home. Olympia is too spread apart and lacks the density to make a bus system a viable option, yet we try to force people to be bus dependent if they can't realistically walk or cycle. City, give us what we need and want, not what you think we should need and want.
Monday, October 13, 2025 Report this
Wesley
I'll donate my time: The City is hostile to businesses. Please recycle the $40,000 into the O.F.D. budget.
Friday, October 17, 2025 Report this
PissAnt
They need to figure out why they are so hostile towards business so they are paying someone to either tell them or fabricate another excuse.
Monday, November 17, 2025 Report this