Thurston County's Partner in Economic Opportunity
With changing world markets for wood products and a decline in log shipping in the early-1990s, the Port of Olympia redoubled its efforts to diversify its business base.
The port’s third major comprehensive planning effort, begun in 1992, was completed in 1995 after hundreds of hours of work by Port Commissioners, staff, labor union representatives, customers, tenants, and citizen volunteers from throughout Thurston County. The result was a visionary mission statement and clear goals for the new millennium emphasizing diversification and the strengthening of core Port businesses.
In the late 1990s, the Port experienced success in all its businesses - NewMarket Industrial Campus in Tumwater, Swantown Commercial Properties in downtown Olympia, Swantown Marina & Boatworks, the Olympia Regional Airport, and the Marine Terminal.
Strategically located on I-5 between Seattle/Tacoma and Portland, the port’s NewMarket Industrial Campus attracted new tenants and interest among prospective clients. Looking even farther into the future, the port acquired an option to purchase 43 acres at Grand Mound in south Thurston County for eventual development of a light industrial park.
The port’s downtown waterfront Swantown neighborhood began to thrive with new, multiple uses including Olympia-based Batdorf and Bronson, a coffee roasting and distribution facility, Anthony’s HomePort restaurant, and the Market Place office building. The port also began development of Port Plaza, a waterfront park, guest moorage dock, and public gathering area to provide a waterfront venue for businesses and a variety of public activities.
Nearby, Swantown Marina experienced 95 percent occupancy on a year-round basis. The first phase of the new Swantown Boatworks boat haulout and maintenance center is scheduled to open in March 1999. Also in the planning stage is the initial portion of Swantown’s marine business center, under a partnership between the Port and Simon Johnson LLC.
Development at the port’s Olympia Regional Airport in Tumwater continued with increased corporate aircraft and other general aviation activity. Runway and environmental improvements have made the Airport more desirable for businesses seeking convenient access to air transportation.
Major infrastructure improvements were made to the Marine Terminal in the late 1990s. In the spring of 1997, Olympia became the state’s third container-capable port with the installation of two modern gantry cranes and improvements to rail, cargo yard and road networks. A major reconstruction of Berth 3 was begun in 1998 to replace the last timber section of dock with concrete and the dilapidated fender pile system.
1997 saw a surge in Marine Terminal activity as Sunmar Container Lines moved its Pacific Northwest/Russian Far East terminal from Seattle to Olympia in May, and a variety of project cargoes as well as wood products were shipped to international destinations.
The severe economic downturn in Russia and Asia in 1998 significantly impacted West Coast ports, however, and the Port of Olympia was no exception. In the fall of 1998, Sunmar was forced to close its Olympia operation. Log and other cargo volumes also decreased. The Port is committed to pursuing diverse business opportunities for the Marine Terminal in 1999.
Vision, and the ability to diversify its property uses to meet changing market conditions, have been hallmarks of the Port of Olympia since 1922. The Port is well prepared to continue its role as Thurston county’s economic partner into the next century.