The Olympia Site Plan Review Committee held a presubmission conference on a proposal to add a new commercial building at the former Toys“R”Us location at 1000 Cooper Point Rd SW.
The applicant for the project and one of the owners, Don Gaube, said they purchased the property from the Toys“R”Us owners, based in New York, more than a year ago.
According to the narrative submitted to the committee, the developers propose to renovate the parking lot and landscaping for the entire parcel, reconfiguring and repaving the parking area to accommodate two additional satellite commercial buildings – one tentatively for an Aspen Dental clinic and another small drive-thru coffee or retail tenant.
Gaube said the property has two tenants: Harbor Freight and Planet Fitness. The tenants converted the old toy store building and focused only on interior improvements, with minimal upgrades on the exterior.
One of the problems Gaube presents is the traffic situation on the site, saying motorists are taking shortcuts through the site's parking lot to avoid traffic congestion at the Cooper Point Road and Capital Mall Drive intersection.
"I think this was a common occurrence by locals that took advantage of this ability to hasten their trip to the mall. It created a very dangerous problem with the customers and employees for the shopping center," Gaube said, adding they received numerous complaints about the traffic condition at the site.
The applicant is currently working with SJC Alliance to address the traffic issues at the site by putting a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the property's exterior, including reorienting the landscaping.
Olympia Associate Planner Jackson Ewing noted that the proposed uses of a medical office and drive-thru coffee stand are permitted in the HDC zoning district.
The proposal, composed of two separate buildings, could be reviewed through one land use application.
Ewing said the buildings must be pushed into a 10-foot front yard area as required under the HDC zoning district regulation of 0 to 10-foot maximum setback.
Ewing added that the code would not allow the drive-thru on the side facing Cooper Point Road, but a walk-up kiosk or window is permitted on that side.
The associate planner said the dental office is to have 14 parking spaces and two for the coffee shop. There would be a requirement of six cars stacking before the menu board of the proposed drive-thru.
He noted that in a parking lot with more than 30 stalls, the applicant must show safe walking routes to show how people move throughout the site through crosswalks and other access entries to the buildings.
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KatAshe
Absolutely wonderful news. With so much of the retail space along Cooper Point being vacant, we need to bring this side of Cooper Point back to life with thriving retail.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 Report this
VDRAKE2
Oh. Wonderful. More nothing for this land of nothing. Great, more places to buy coffee. Oooh and A dental "store"?? Good money after bad. Already this area is retail heavy and no way in, but cars n parking lots. The traffic is horrible on weekends worse and with the proposed Redux of Capital Mall you know the one you plan to be remade for living without parking lots more trees more living space? Port Commisioners, what are you doing? Can't you just wait pick an idea and stick with it! How about a green space you can walk in, a place for people to walk, ANYTHING BESIDES A PARKING LOT WITH TINY STORES.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 Report this
Tractor1
Point of Order -- This property has nothing to do with the Port Commission! It is totally the responsibility of the City of Olympia and their policies.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 Report this
VDRAKE2
OK let it be about the City of Olympia vs its plans of about and for NW Olympia. The problem remains the same. CONFUSION. Thanks to TRACTOR1 for the correction.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 Report this