Energizing East Bay

Imagine the possibilities…A public waterfront plaza, a new expanded Hands On Children’s Museum, a new administrative building and education center for the LOTT Alliance showcasing reclaimed water, a destination hotel, vibrant shops, and restaurants. These projects are all planned for the redevelopment of 14 acres of the Port of Olympia’s East Bay property.

A new working partnership between the City of Olympia, LOTT Alliance, Hands On Children’s Museum, and the Port of Olympia has created an opportunity to develop a series of dynamic projects that will energize the East Bay area. This joint effort provides numerous public benefits, including:

• Vibrant, open, inviting public spaces
• Destination activities to draw regional visitors to downtown
• Comprehensive environmental cleanup
• Unparalleled learning opportunities
• Focus on sustainability with a rare cluster of LEED-certified buildings
• Improved connection between East Bay, the Port peninsula, downtown Olympia, and surrounding communities
• Revitalization of the East Bay waterfront

Public Plaza

The focal point of East Bay redevelopment is a public plaza to be located between the Hands On Children’s Museum, the LOTT Education Center, and potentially, the new Olympia City Hall. The plaza would be designed as an attractive meeting space for visitors to each of those destinations, complete with an interactive water feature and interpretive elements that teach about the interconnectedness of our water resources.

LOTT Alliance

The LOTT Alliance is constructing a new administrative building and education center on its property at the south end of the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant. The administrative building allows for consolidation of LOTT staff onto the Plant site, eliminating the need to lease office space. The new Education Center provides opportunity to engage the public in the mission of LOTT, the need for water conservation, the benefits of reclaimed water, the science of wastewater treatment, and important water quality issues.

Hands On Children’s Museum

The new, expanded, and permanent Hands On Children’s Museum will improve access to early learning for our children, attract regional visitors to our communities, stimulate economic development, and provide an ideal location to view and appreciate our waterfront. The Museum’s proximity to LOTT’s Education Center provides an exciting opportunity to coordinate learning opportunities surrounding water resources, assuring that age-appropriate experiences are offered to all ages.

City of Olympia

It’s official…the former Safeway site on 4th Avenue in downtown Olympia is the location of Olympia’s new City Hall and Police Headquarters. The site is two blocks south of the Port’s East Bay area. The new City Hall will offer customers the convenience of one-stop shopping for City services.

Port of Olympia

The Port is spearheading the work needed to make the East Bay vision a reality. Connecting streets and infrastructure are being planned to make the individual projects possible. The Port is also gauging private interest in developing mixed use in the area, including a possible hotel, retail shops, and restaurants.