An owner’s dreams for a burned-out lot
By Rolf Boone, The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
More calls are fielded by 911 dispatchers, and soon it's clear that a major fire is underway.
Fire crews battle the fire for most of Saturday, beginning at
The structure is a total loss, while other structures next to it also have suffered some fire damage.
The date:
The building: Home to Griswold's Office Supply & Equipment.
The cause of the fire: Undetermined.
And the future ?
That's unknown. The fire is approaching its 10th anniversary, and very little has happened to the burned-out structure, other than attempts to beautify the building while it awaits redevelopment. The facade has a mural, and it recently received a fresh coat of paint, but little else has happened to the building.
In the interim, the building, in its undeveloped state, has become an eyesore for many and has contributed to what others view as one of the most challenging blocks in downtown
The former Griswold's building is on
"It's not a healthy component of our downtown," said
"Filling that hole in will remedy a lot of problems on that block."
FROM SILICON VALLEY
The original owner and operators of the building and business --
Lee paid
"It's a challenge for me, so I decided to embark on it," said Lee, then 46. "It's not my first choice in terms of location, but the feeling I was getting was, 'How often do you get the chance to make a positive impact?' I am convinced that if we find the right tenants, this can work. That's when I decided to go for it."
His ideas for the property then included condos, wine storage, a coffee shop, a restaurant and a beauty shop. None of that has materialized, but Lee has done some work on the building and updated his vision for the property over the years:
Lee also has responded to those wondering about the building and its future, according to city of
Here is one such email in February where Lee sheds light on some of his challenges:
"Quick answer to your question is that we are trying to get the front side of the building to be renovated and occupied this year. Unless the city stops me, I want to make the front side look respectable with a finished look, at least from the street level as soon as possible. Once the current permit submission goes through, we will renovate the front side of the building for occupancy."
He adds: "I'm losing money as the building is not being utilized, and it is my intention to create a building that adds value to the neighborhood."
BACK TAXES
Another challenge: Public records shows Lee is behind on his property taxes for 2012, 2013 and the first half of 2014, totaling about
It takes three years of unpaid property taxes before the foreclosure process gets underway, said
But Lee, who participated in an interview and showed the building Thursday, remains full of ideas for the property. He wants to complete work on what he calls an
More theatrical performances in the courtyard are set for June, Lee said, and he remains hopeful about securing a permit to do work on the facade.
He also said he's disappointed that the building has been demonized in the community, and that he never intended for it to turn out this way. He acknowledged that redevelopment delays have stemmed from his inexperience, the slow economy and the sometimes confusing nature of city requirements to redevelop.
Lee also, until recently, owned Fuji Teriyaki at
HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT
After the fire, the
Griswold's Office Supply actually went out of business
The owners,
That same Friday they also met with City Pawn owner
After Koch left, the building was secured in its normal manner: The lights in a back room were turned off and the rear door was secured with a 2-by-4. The front door was locked.
The next morning
It might not have been the biggest fire in the city's history, but it still required a big response because the burning building was surrounded by other buildings -- unlike last summer's fire at Oyster House, which is in a stand-alone location, Bradley said.
Eight other stations or fire departments responded to the fire, including from as far as
The investigation began immediately after the fire, on
Here's what investigators wrote in their conclusion:
"There was certainly questions about the timing of the fire so close to closing the business. The scene investigation was not able to allay these questions but it was also not able to corroborate them. No ignition source was found, no point of origin located. Statements from the owners,
Bradley added that the investigation technically is still open, although it is not actively being pursued.
COMMUNITY RENEWAL
Meanwhile, the
Community development director Stahley said the council is focused on the vacant buildings on the city's isthmus, the strip of property between Budd Inlet and
But before the community renewal area plan is adopted, likely toward the end of the year, by the council other blighted areas could be added to the plan.
Stahley is confident that addressing the former Griswold's building will be part of the plan.
"It continues to be a real topic of concern," he said.
The use of eminent domain also has been included in the working draft of the renewal area plan, and could be applied in certain limited situations, Stahley said, such as a building or property that has been vacant or economically unproductive for five or more years.
City Attorney
He said the city has used eminent domain to acquire water rights from the former
Lee, asked if he would be open to selling his property to the city, said it would all depend on the price and the city's plans for it. He said he still believes he can put the building to good use.
"That's what I'm fighting for," Lee said.
___
(c)2014 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.)
Visit The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) at www.theolympian.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Wordcount: | 1868 |
Business owners fed up with criminals freed from Shasta County Jail
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News