Less than two years after the Port of Tacoma and the Port of Olympia agreed to work together to develop a 745-acre intermodal logistics and distribution hub on a brown field site near Maytown, south of Olympia, the project is kaput.
The South Sound Logistics Center, just east of Interstate 5, would have brought together distribution centers, offices, an intermodal railyard and other industrial uses in a centralized location near highway and rail lines. The property is located adjacent to the intersection of the BNSF mainline and the Tacoma Rail Mountain Division, a city-owned short line railroad.
The Port of Tacoma felt so strongly about the possibilities that it went ahead and bought the property for $22 million back in 2006. Now it will be looking for buyers.
Almost from the beginning, the project ran into stiff opposition from environmentalists and nearby residents, who wanted the property, which is near Millersylvania State Park, to be preserved as a wooded area. The opponents, who rallied under the banner of "Friends of Rocky Prairie," also sought a zoning change to block the project. |
