Friday, November 7, 2025
The Port of Olympia may have a new administration building by early 2027, according to an update from Thomas Architecture Studios, the firm hired for the project.
The port is planning to use the former Dancing Goats Coffee building on Market Street in Olympia as the site of its new administration building.
Ron Thomas, the firm’s owner, gave an update to the Port of Olympia Commission at a meeting on Monday, Sept. 22.
His presentation indicated the schematic design of the building would be complete by October, pending the commission’s approval.
The firm would use the remainder of the year to refine the designs and calculate early cost estimates. It would then work on the first quarter of next year to prepare construction documents before applying for a building permit in April 2026.
Thomas said the City of Olympia usually takes two to three months to process an application, so the port could use the time to go find a construction company to do the job.
Construction could start in the summer of 2026; it should take around eight months to complete.
The former Dancing Goats building is comprised of two structures: a pre-engineered metal structure attached to a two-story framed building.
Thomas said the pre-engineered part of the building would need to be insulated and drywalled.
Solar panels are on the roof of that part of the building. Thomas said he will look into adding more panels, but would have to consider the roof's weight capacity.
Preliminary designs from Thomas show different rooms on each of the two floors of the building. Both floors would contain offices, conference rooms, staff flex rooms and storage space
On the first floor, he envisions a commission room larger than what the port currently has. It would have capacity for 108 people, and would be large enough that the port could use it for other purposes or even rent it out.
On the second floor, the firm plans on building an additional 4,000 square feet of floor space to accommodate planned rooms.
In programming the layout of the floors, Thomas said the firm asked the port’s different departments for current and long-term needs in the next 15 and 30 years.
The firm also inquired about floor preference for each department, need for private offices and desired office adjacencies.
As for outside, Thomas said the facade will largely stay the same except for the installation of new entries and windows.
Thomas also talked about the landscaping of the site and views from the building, saying the port made a good decision in choosing the location.
One issue, however, is the elevation of the site, which Thomas said was below the City of Olympia’s required elevation for seal level rise. To address the issue, Thomas pointed toward mobile door panels, which could be installed during flooding events.
Elevating the building would be too cost prohibitive, according to Thomas.
He ended his presentation saying he will return to the commission on Oct. 14 with final programming, budget and contracts to proceed with next stages of the design process.
Commissioner Jasmine Vasavada said she wished there was an opportunity for commissioners to provide input on the commission room.
Thomas said the designs are not final and that they would like to brainstorm further ideas, especially with respect to alternative uses of the commission room.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Amy Evans Harding asked whether construction of the commission room could be delayed to save on costs for now.
“I think getting a functional space for the staff is critical and everyone being co-located. And the commission room needs to function, but having it be a statement isn't necessarily a priority to me,” Evans Harding said.
Thomas said while some aspects of the building would have to be constructed for regulatory compliance, there is a lot of flexibility to phase out the project.
21 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
JW
I would rather my stolen dollars via the Port's taxing ability be utilized to clean up **** at the local dog park than this.
End the Port!
Wednesday, September 24 Report this
Southsoundguy
Abolish the Port.
Wednesday, September 24 Report this
Boatyarddog
Really!
Continued BS and waste of tax dollars. If we only close the Marine Terminal, THAT alone would fund Fancy Spaces for Staff to Meet in, as well a big new Ballroom for them to dance and Party in, they would them compete with the Stupid Orange Baboon and his Lackies for insidious stupid tricks. CHANGE the Port to work for its County and Shareholders.... Make your own Way P.O.O. Quit wasting Time and Resources and holding up Restoration of the Bay and Polluted enviroment. Did you even hear a new J Pod calf was born and one died. And They visited the S. Sound, first time in a decade or two.
Wednesday, September 24 Report this
Boatyarddog
NEW LEADERSHIP PLEASE! Hemstad is NOT Capable to steer ANY part of P.O.O.s Business dealings. B.Illyal betrayed his County and its Shareholders with Broken Promises. So, KRAG INSOLED is Our best Chance at Fixing the Botched Port for the people Not LONGSHORE CONTRACTS at the cost of the Enviroment. And JOEL Hanson HAHHAAAH! A BAD Choice T.C. don't Do It.!!!
Wednesday, September 24 Report this
JW
Hating the Port might just be the only bipartisan supported topic in the Jolt comment section
Wednesday, September 24 Report this
mhjwilson
They need to quit bringing cargo ships in here. What would it take to move the log business to Aberdeen, or elsewhere? How much air pollution would be reduced? How much money would be saved? Who benefits from it today?
Thursday, September 25 Report this
BevBassett
Gag me with a spoon.
Infuriating!
Here we have a textbook example of the POO doing what it does best: taking public assets and the taxpayer's hard earned dollars and moving those assets into private hands. In the style to which they have become accustomed, only more so....
Shut them down!
Thursday, September 25 Report this
Porter
Couldn't they run everything out of a trailer? How much space do they need? How many employees are there? Can I have my money back?
Thursday, September 25 Report this
Snevets
Meanwhile Swantown Marina (a viable source of income) falls into disrepair.
Thursday, September 25 Report this
Qphillips
It is clear to me acquisition of the building, converting it to the Port’s office is a huge financial win for the Port. It colocates staff in a central location and reduces cost paid for leases to numerous landlords. There are benefits to having the Port located in a building where staff can work together in professional space. The price paid for the building was very reasonable. This move will pay for itself over time. The renovation needs to be reviewed by Port Staff and the Commissioners in detail to eliminate any waste they believe maybe developing in the design.
Calling for the Port to be closed is reckless as no one calling for this understands the full consequences of this to the City of Olympia or the hundred of citizens and their families who depend on the Port for their livelihoods.
Thursday, September 25 Report this
CobraCommander
Finally, something we can all agree on.
Get rid of the port!
Thursday, September 25 Report this
s98503
This may be the first time in 5 years of reading the JOLT that I agree with JW and Southsoundguy. The POO (Port Of Olympia) is ****. The voters have consistently made their voices heard that they don't want an expansion. Now we have a completely out of touch taxing authority committing to excess spending for what? A dying logging industry that is a net negative to the environment, taxpayers, and the community?
We need to collect signatures for a ballot initiative to abolish the port and return the managed properties to the local jurisdictions. This is abhorrent.
Thursday, September 25 Report this
Southsoundguy
So there is no confusion, when I say "abolish the Port," I am referring to the corporate entity. The port can stay, industry is good. We should stop shipping all our timber to Asia, though.
Thursday, September 25 Report this
DudeInOlympia
lol we all agree on something finally
Thursday, September 25 Report this
TheFireplaceGuy
Yeah. Abolish the Port. Good idea... How would you replace the revenue to pay for all of your free programs you constantly push for? Get rid of the big ships and the logs?? When's the last time you opened a history book or read something other than the Lefties Handbook On How To Overburden The Taxpayers Of Washington? The logging industry is what built Western Washington.
If you don't like the decisions that are being made then here's a novel concept, vote out YOUR incumbents who YOU voted for to protect YOUR wants and needs. How many times are we going to have to circle the bowl before the majority of people around Olympia and Western Washington for that matter, are going to realize that citizens have a voice and that voice can be used for something other than playing armchair quarterback and whining. Run for city council or any government position and make the change if you don't like something! Just like. As you put it. "The Orange Man" did. It's your constitutional right. So is the right to remain silent. To which quite a few of you should if all you're going to do is complain and point fingers rather than do something about making the situation better. If you're not going to be a part of the solution then at least quit being part of the problem. The way projects like the Port's proposal and others you would rather whine about and say are taking away from the attention your precious J Pod should be getting, is because when they have public meetings for comments, their ideas are run unopposed. If you don't like an idea tell the people who came up with the idea. Use your voices and direct them toward the people who matter and who need to hear them.
Thursday, September 25 Report this
HappyOlympian
End the port, fire them all.
Thursday, September 25 Report this
Boatyarddog
@ Qphillips, that is a load of BS and you know it! If the POO port supported families here in Oly. We would'nt complain, the POO supports only LONGSHORE Familys, not LOCAL Economics. They Hand Pick the Towns, projects .That THEY ALONE think deserve A Hand out. Talk about Waste, they Decieve the Public by failing to include INTREST on Borrowed Money for their Pet Peevs and Intrests. This Marine Terminal is a DEAD Business. LIARS ALL OF THEM. ENVIROMENTAL STEWARDS... MORE HOGWASH.
Thursday, October 2 Report this
Boatyarddog
@ TheFireplaceGuy, Forget the Polarized LEFTIES BullCrap Buddy... Its ALL TOO Obvious that THE POO Makes No Money to Help Relieve Any Suffering Homelessness, Drug addiction centers Mental Health Facilities Old Age Homes Or Anything but a handfull of LONGSHORE Families For ETERNITY now. Sounds like The Community Gets ir. At Least they See The Complete Hypocrisey of The Failing Portion Called " The Marine Terminal, and Endless addiction of LEGACY and A BAD Record of POLLUTION THAT IS THE POO. Brake bulk goods should be its only business. VOTE OUT IYALL, Bring in UNSOLED, TOOMPASS, HEMSTAD Is Incompetant, unfortunate that no one ran against port employee J Hansen Cause he's Bought and a Bootlicker. CLOSE THE MARINE BLOODSUCKING TERMINAL. BRAKE BULK GOODS ONLY. RESTORE THE WATER QUALITY, Then WE CAN BE PROUD OF A Real Accomplishment, That Serves Thurston County and Washington States Waters... thus ITS PEOPLE
Thursday, October 2 Report this
Boatyarddog
@Qphillips., You ARE Dense! SORRY BUT TRUE.
I have BEEN TO DOZENS OF POOs Meetings Public and Business. They only hear WHAT SOUNDS good to Their Intrestes, Latch on To POCAC Applicants that Fit THEIR Needs. MEDDLE
IN Local Elections that Benefit Their Needs. LYING ALL Along the Way. F The Port IN General.
But if you want forward Progress in ANY BUSI ESS GET RID OF THE DEAD WEIGHT. That Is THE MARINE TERMINAL. BY THE WAY J POD HAS NOT VISITED THE S.SOUND IN 40+ years. FOOD is the Issue for them, NOT the Forest. WATER QUALITY!
Thursday, October 2 Report this
Boatyarddog
@Fireplace Guy, FYI, those Whales not Just J Pod, are a MAJOR Economic Force!! TOURISM, That is one Of This Ports Requirements, Providing INCOME for Thurston Countys Stakeholders. Common sense Shows The LACK OF RESPONSABILITY this PORT has For Economic Stability. DENY That! Political Guy. Geeeze it Never Ends with Port Supporters. They LOVE the Misinformed! :)
Thursday, October 2 Report this
Wesley
Sounds good! Looks good! Let's do it!
Friday, October 31 Report this