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Help us fight for premium development that meshes with nature.
"We will save the forested lakeshore and trails of the former Weyerhaeuser Campus in Federal Way."
-- Dow Constantine, King County Executive, announcing his 2018 Land Conservation Initiative to save 65,000 acres of forests, farmlands, shorelines and trails
Now there are 5: IRG applies for 1.5M square feet of warehouses
New: The city is getting to close to issuing the land-use and environmental permit decisions for Warehouse A.
IRG's latest application -- for three warehouses totaling nearly 1.1 million square feet at the north end of the historic campus -- has been deemed complete by the city of Federal Way with submission of the remaining documents needed to consider the proposal. The initial public comment period ends June 4. Send comments to the city: planning@cityoffederalway.com
That means the city is now reviewing applications for five warehouses, including two at the south end of the campus. Combined, the five warehouses are projected to bring more than 800 semi-trucks to the campus every day; 418 of those will clog the South 320th Street ramps of Interstate 5, while the remainder will jam the Highway 18/Weyerhaeuser Way area.
In addition, the five warehouses are projected to bring nearly 4,600 passenger vehicles each day.
The proposals are:
- WAREHOUSE A, a 225,950 square-foot-building, 42-44 feet high, on the former Preferred Freezer/Orca Bay site. It would bring 199 semi truck trips daily. The 16-acre parcel includes 1,059 trees; 659 of them are in the interior area (not in the required buffer) and largely expected to be lost to construction. Read the city's 4th technical review comments on this project, asking the developer for additional information.
- WAREHOUSE B is depicted as 217,300 square feet, with a similar height to Warehouse A. It would bring 191 semi truck trips daily. The site has 1,004 trees; 848 of them are in the interior area (not in the required buffer) and largely expected to be lost to construction. Read the notice of application. SWC submitted comments in opposition to the proposal by the Oct. 30 deadline. SWC also facilitated a community letter of opposition that was eventually signed by more than 400 people.
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1.1M square feet of warehouses GREENLINE BUSINESS PARK includes three warehouses totaling nearly 1.1 million square feet on 146 acres that include the existing Greenline Technology Center building. The buildings will be 42 feet tall, and according to the environmental checklist, views looking north from South 336th Street will be altered by the sight of Buildings B and C.
The plan includes 1,446 parking spaces and 111 spaces for semi trailers. Access will be via four driveways off Weyerhaeuser Way. Five storm water ponds are proposed, including one on the east side of Weyerhaeuser Way, across from the project site.
The site has 4,182 significant trees (175 of those in the required buffer) and 58 percent of them will be lost to construction.
Building A: 638,000 square feet, located north of the Tech Center.
Building B: 282,500 square feet, located south of the Tech Center.
Building C: 147,500 square feet, located south of the Tech Center.
More info: Projects page and the city's FTP site.
Save Weyerhaeuser Campus is working to ensure that the new owners develop the 430-acre campus in a manner that protects its unique natural features, preserves its open spaces and maintains its character as required by the 1994 annexation ordinance and concomitant agreement. Our mission is:
- Protecting the west shoreline of North Lake, the rhododendron garden and the bonsai collection.
- Preserving wildlife habitat and crucial watershed land -- the forests and meadows of the campus -- as well as its trails and public access to them.
- Maintaining the character of the campus through high-quality development that blends with the environment and brings living-wage jobs to the community.
$750k received for conservation effort!
The state Capital Budget, passed in January, included $250,000 for Weyerhaeuser open space conservation. Then, the state's supplemental budget passed later in the session added $500,000 to that! The money will be used by land-conservation nonprofit Forterra in its efforts to negotiate purchase of portions of the campus.
Read more about on the Conservation page.
Campus named to state preservation group's 'Most Endangered Places' list
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has named the former Weyerhaeuser Corporate Campus to its 2017 Most Endangered Places list. Read our nomination of the campus. The Trust made special presentation at the June 6 Federal Way City Council meeting.
This is the Trust’s 25th year of bringing awareness to buildings, sites and historic places around the state that are threatened by development or neglect. Of 150 properties the Trust has named to its list during that time, 100 have been saved. This means that SWC has gained another significant partner in efforts to preserve, protect and retain the unique character of the campus.
The announcement was made May 20 at the Trust's "Vintage Washington" event, featuring a video that includes rare audio interviews with George Weyerhaeuser and the renowned landscape architect Peter Walker, whose design integrated the headquarters building with its environment. Also interviewed were Save Weyerhaeuser Campus President Lori Sechrist and board member Debra Hansen.
QUOTABLE:
"... if you see another building as you look up the valley or look down the lake, it does real harm to the initial building." -- Peter Walker, campus landscape architect
"I would hope the new uses would be not totally incompatible with the quality of that which is already there." -- George Weyerhaeuser
“Due to its exceptional historic and architectural significance, particular care must be taken with any new development. New buildings must be sensitive to the original design philosophy of the campus, which emphasized integration with the landscape and environmental sensitivity.” --The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
----- UPDATES -----
IRG application calls for 3 more warehouses -- more than 1 million square feet -- on north end of the campus. Visit our Projects page.
See forested land lost if IRG warehouses are approved. Visit the Maps page
We're on Instagram! Follow us: saveweyerhaeusercampus
Visit our Meetings page to watch citizen testimony at council meetings.
Get contact info for elected officials here.
TAKE ACTION!
- Urge the City Council to keep industrial development off the campus, preserve the west shoreline of North Lake for public use and protect the Rhododendron and Bonsai gardens.
- Attend a City Council meeting: 7 p.m. Feb. 6 and 20, at City Hall. Sign up to speak. Even your presence can speak volumes.
- Educate yourself on this site and read application documents on the city site.
- Help pay for traffic, wetland, architectural and legal experts: Donate now
- Print and distribute flyers. New flyer here.
- Add your voice to the conversation on Facebook.
- Contact us: savethecampus@gmail.com, 253-237-4432
"When the change is for all time, and involves a unique physical asset, I think we have to weigh it very, very carefully to see what price we are going to have to pay for economic progress."
George Weyerhaeuser, in a 1969 Sports Illustrated interview
Historic campus is worth saving
See what regional preservation organizations are telling the city.
Demand appropriate development
Why is the city allowing industrial uses on a corporate campus?
Trees traded for warehouses
Site plan proposes 3 warehouses near the Technology Center
Watch citizen comment about the campus at City Council meetings.
Watch more citizen comments from 2016-17 council meetings.