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Olympia Mill Village Updates


emerging.me

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TIFs were never intended for prosperous areas, they were intended for areas that were stagnant and/or declining. The Olympia TIF has sufficient funding with the redeveloped Mill. That is not the issue. Once the mill is on the tax roles (Jan 1) , that opportunity is gone.

I agree that Olmypia should annex to Columbia. They could even use that as an inducement fro the improvements. With the L.O.S.T. now in place, it will cost little if anything for the residents to do so.

Emerging.me, why don't you lead the charge on that. I bet you might even get some help from your fellow UPers.

I understand what TIFs are for. I think it points to the idoicy that exists in the county council.

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City Council vows support for Olympia

COLUMBIA

Columbia City Council members said this week they would find a way to fund a $7 million revitalization plan for the Olympia community.

Residents of the mill villages in south Columbia have looked to city and Richland County council members to pay for park and street improvements, railroad safety crossings and sewage service for about 40 homes.

But Tuesday, Richland County Council backed off of a plan to create a special tax district that would have paid for the improvements.

Edited by vicupstate
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It certainly appears that an annexation is in order. I see no other way.

Yesterday I emailed the mayor and all of my city council reps and told them I have been waiting for years for Olympia to annexed and to please get it done. (I don't live in Olympia.) I told them I was glad to see they were going to take care of Olympia, but asked if they were only going to take care of the part that is in the city because that is not much of it. They all know me by name and like hearing from me, or so they say. I've drilled the word "urban" into their brains. But maybe they will annex Olympia.

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Yesterday I emailed the mayor and all of my city council reps and told them I have been waiting for years for Olympia to annexed and to please get it done. (I don't live in Olympia.) I told them I was glad to see they were going to take care of Olympia, but asked if they were only going to take care of the part that is in the city because that is not much of it. They all know me by name and like hearing from me, or so they say. I've drilled the word "urban" into their brains. But maybe they will annex Olympia.

Thanks for contacting the city about Olympia. All of Olympia needs to be in the city limits. I email the mayor and council from time to time, also. I'm curious if you ever get emails back from Daniel Rickenmann. The email responses have been full of grammatical and spelling errors and were a little bit too informal (no salutation and no closure) for writing back to a constituent that he doesn't know personally, especially when the emails sent to him have been in proper business form. Just my opinion.

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Thanks for contacting the city about Olympia. All of Olympia needs to be in the city limits. I email the mayor and council from time to time, also. I'm curious if you ever get emails back from Daniel Rickenmann. The email responses have been full of grammatical and spelling errors and were a little bit too informal (no salutation and no closure) for writing back to a constituent that he doesn't know personally, especially when the emails sent to him have been in proper business form. Just my opinion.

I have experienced the same. The mayor has never emailed me back. Sinclair and Devine have. Sinclair almost always does.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Meant to add this the other day, but I've been having some trouble with the site loading lately. The Gallery 701 building in Olympia is being bought by Five Points buisnessman Richard Burts. I can't wait to see what he does with the building. This is very good news.

The State also comments on the surrounding property under the "related links" section on the right (at that link above) and mentions some possible future uses. I can't wait to see the potential of this area being to be more realized.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As requested... here is Ra! :) The obelisk is being restored to its former glory by a group called "Friends of Ra" -- rather tongue in cheekly. They need to raise about $2500 to do it right and are about 1/3 to 1/2 way there. If anyone wants to contribute to the restoration of this important piece of public art in Olympia, please message me or post here and I'll send the details.

Also, this section of the greenway -- the mill village riverlink -- isn't officially open yet (that partially explains why the little pocket park they've created around the monument looks unfinished.

Look for some cool developments to start going down in this immediate vicinity -- note the location on the map I created in the first post of this thread, if you don't know where it's at.

The late Richard Lane created the art on this old trestle remnant.

I'm not sure why anyone would not immediately credit Richard. Since I believe Bob Guild may have been a part of the restoration, I know that he would have communicated this clearly to anyone asking about it.

Richard is missed by those who knew him, and I hope that he gets credit as the project is finished, not as "a group of artists" with a "wild idea," but by his name.

Richard also painted the Incredible Hulk on the outside of G.R.O.W. (Grass Roots Organizing Workshop) cafe, which was formerly 18 Bluff Road, although the last time I drove by, apparently the street numbers have been reassigned, and it is no longer 18. This would be the "white building" referenced above. Richard lived in Columbia until about 1984 when he moved to Chapel Hill, NC, and moved again to Colorado about 1987 or so. I don't know if he ever lived in the G.R.O.W. building--I know he definitely did *not* prior living in Colorado.

I think it's wonderful Richard's work is becoming a very public artwork. Next time I visit Columbia and cruise through the old neighborhood, it will help bring back some very warm, happy memories.

Just making sure that this bit of cyberdust credits the person who created it, proper. Thanks!

And heartfelt thanks, especially, for the pics, since those of us who live hundreds of miles away can't always slip away for a roadtrip to see the progress!

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  • 2 months later...

FYI... a well-placed source tells me that USC and the Olympia neighborhood groups have an informal agreement to work together to improve the area's neighborhoods. USC believes that a thriving Mill Village will be key in the success of Innovista. They are going to be providing resources and lending their considerable clout to improvement efforts. I believe they are also going to fund the restoration of Rocky Branch. Good news!

Edited by emerging.me
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  • 2 weeks later...

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