Why was that large land parcel cleared along southbound I-5 near Olympia? Here’s the answer
The Olympian has received a number of inquiries about a clearing and construction visible from southbound I-5 near the exit to downtown Olympia, and we've got some answers.
The construction is part of the development of the Lansdale Pointe project, which will result in 162 units of affordable rental housing. It is located at 911 Burr Road SE, and runs east to Lansdale Street Southeast.
Alex Persse, Thurston County's Affordable Housing Program manager, said the developer began working at the end of August, and they anticipate the project being done sometime in 2026.
The Olympian last wrote about the project in the summer when the developer, Southport Financial Services, struggled to get state funding.
Southport applied for nearly $28 million from the Washington State Housing and Finance Commission's 2023 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit program in March of last year, according to an allocation summary. But they were not selected.
The project has gotten local support, though, including $1.325 million from both Thurston County and the City of Olympia. That $2.65 million went toward acquiring the land and permit fees associated with development.
The site lies less than a mile from an Olympia Food Co-op location on Lansdale Street, an Albertsons and the Pacific Avenue I-5 interchange, and is across Pacific Avenue from the county's Atrium Building. According to previous reporting,
If finished, the project would feature nine three-story apartment buildings, a community center, a business center, a playground and a sports court.
Jacinda Steltjes, Affordable Housing Program manager for Olympia, said the region is excited to see a new developer move into the community.
"We're excited to see any new developers," she said. "We need housing, and the more affordable housing developers we can attract to Thurston County, the better."
She said the project is partially funded with state 4% low income housing tax credit bonds, though it's unclear how much. The Olympian was unable to immediately reach the developer.
Steltjes said the developer's request for a local match of funding came to the Regional Housing Council (RHC) outside of when it typically makes funding available. She said the council traditionally makes funding available once a year.
This project called attention to how that process doesn't work very well and doesn't attract developers, she said.
Steltjes said the RHC now has an opportunity fund, which makes money available on a rolling basis. She said it will hopefully leave the county more prepared for other projects such as Lansdale Pointe.
Steltjes said this project also highlights Olympia's affordable housing incentives and how they work. She said the Lansdale Pointe project took advantage of the city's impact fee partial exemption, which helps lower the development costs.
"We're helping them lower those costs and bring units online," she said. "So it's been great to communicate to our council and other staff that our incentives are working. They're helping. They are something that we hope other developers are interested in and will take advantage of."
Steltjes said the developer plans to open the nine buildings in phases, and the hope is that a couple will be open with units available in the next year.
