Originally published Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Bellevue developer eyes Tumwater brewery site
A Bellevue developer has expressed interest in building a 500,000-square-foot shopping mall at the old Tumwater brewery site, provided that...
The Olympian
A Bellevue developer has expressed interest in building a 500,000-square-foot shopping mall at the old Tumwater brewery site, provided that the city will allow construction on the property within the 100-year floodplain.
Mon Wig, owner of Wig Properties LLC, told the Tumwater City Council during Tuesday's meeting that the deal isn't done, but he is in discussions with the owner of the Tumwater brewery to purchase and develop the property if it would be possible to build a shopping center there.
Wig said that his company is looking at possible roadblocks of the plan before proceeding.
"It's a complicated site," he said, mentioning the railroad and the Deschutes River, both of which run through the property. "If we cannot build, we cannot develop."
It was unclear whether the development would include the old brewhouse, which ceased making beer in 2003, or whether it would include only the brewery property south of Custer Way. Wig has mentioned both possibilities to the city, Planning and Facilities director Mike Matlock told the council.
Wig Properties developed Southcenter Square in Tukwila, which has Nordstrom Rack, DSW Shoes and Kohl's as tenants. The developer also owns two strip malls in Olympia: West Olympia Place at 1001 Cooper Point Road S.W. and Cooper Point Pavilion at 1620 Cooper Point Road S.W.
The City Council unanimously approved allowing the city's planning department to consider the issue, with Mayor Ralph Osgood and Councilwoman Joan Cathey absent.
"It's exciting that someone is interested in the property," said Mayor Pro Tem Pete Kmet.
Councilwoman Karen Valenzuela asked Wig whether the Deschutes could be accessible to the public with the development.
"It's been our hope and vision that we can restore public access to this river eventually," she said.
Wig said the company would look at that.
City manager Doug Baker, who was absent, wrote in a memo to the council that he would expect a development agreement defining what would be constructed and where, and any amendments to regulations would need a public hearing and a decision by the council.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
Flood fears dampen business, home sales
Nicole Brodeur: Homeless woman bent on giving
Portland cafe's specialty: medical-marijuana tokes
Thousands of tax-refund checks undeliverable

PNW Magazine | Easy As Pie
A little friendly competition between professional pie-baker Kate McDermott and The Seatttle Times' Kathleen Triesch Saul is handled with great taste.
nwautos
Local riders say they've seen a surge in scooter interest in recent years, mostly from people wanting another commuting option. Seattle now ranks as o...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Do you suffer from "sitting disease"?
Post a comment
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Jerry Brewer | Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Husky Football Blog | Ranking the Pac
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
420 - Climate change speeds up since 1997 Kyoto accord
216 - Metro won't cut bus service after all
160 - Bellevue residents blast new bikini espresso stand
155 - New Husky recruit: Enes Kanter
107 - Seattle woman charged with knife attack on boyfriend's ex
88 - Washington State coach Paul Wulff says he's excited about Cougars' future
88 - Middleton says Huskies "plan on scoring at least 50 points'' Saturday
87 - Next Seahawks GM should be Mike Holmgren
82 - Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
74
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
- Hutch gets $10M from Bezos family for immunotherapy research
- Children in home day care watching hours of TV, study says
- Taste | The Great Pie Bake-off pits friends and fruit





