| The Oly2012 Steering Committee (SC) is thrilled that the downtown housing proposal from Colpitts Development Company (Colpitts) is moving forward. Colpitts recently submitted a land use application to construct a seven-story, mixed-use buidling with 126 market rate apartments near the corner of Columbia Street and Fifth Avenue as soon as 2009. The Oly2012 SC has emphasized the importance of getting a developer to "go first" in order to jump start market rate housing. Downtown needs a blend of housing stock options from low-income to high-income, and the Colpitts project should be the first step in meeting the significant middle-income housing needs. Although some people have legitimate concerns related to parking and access, the Oly2012 SC is confident these concerns will be creatively addressed over time, and believe the benefits of the project will greatly outweigh any long-term impacts. For these reasons, the Oly2012 SC urges citizens to support this important pioneering project. The SC also encourages citizens to ensure the Colpitts project meets architectural design standards appropriate for the location so that the project is a model for future housing projects.
The Oly2012 SC is pleased that the attitude of City leaders, City staff, and private citizens towards the Colpitts project appears to be one of cooperation and collaboration. This attitude shift is critical if Olympia is going to meet its city goal of encouraging downtown investment "so that more people live, work, learn, shop and play in downtown Olympia." The Oly2012 SC encourages City leaders and City staff to continue evaluating the proper mix of leadership, incentives, zoning, capital improvements, and attitude necessary to encourage smart growth. For instance, the City should continue to explore innovative ideas such as providing partially subsidized parking garages throughout downtown and prepping sites for development by proactively addressing infrastructure and/or cleanup needs. The City may also benefit from hiring staff or consultants with specialized expertise in urban redevelopment. | 
