City of Tumwater crews collected soil samples at the former Olympia Brewery property on June 25, the first city-initiated environmental fieldwork at the site since the brewery ceased production in 2003.
The testing, funded by a $500,000 EPA Community Wide Assessment Grant, will determine what contamination exists on the privately owned property near Custer Way SW and shape future cleanup and redevelopment plans. The Olympian reported the sampling on July 6.
The sprawling site, which The Olympian describes as "one of Washington's most complex brownfield sites," sits in the heart of Tumwater. It has been largely idle for more than two decades.
Who it affects
Tumwater has identified revitalizing the Brewery District as a strategic priority for economic development. For nearby businesses and residents along the Capitol Boulevard corridor, the testing results will dictate what kind of development is feasible and how long cleanup might take.
City Administrator Lisa Parks told the Tumwater City Council in a May 27, 2025, memo that the EPA grant funds assessments at the former brewery sites.
The city's 2025-2026 budget also includes $100,000 for the initial stages of a Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement, a comprehensive state environmental review that would clear the way for redevelopment once cleanup strategies are identified.
Funding
The EPA grant totals $500,000 for site assessments. The city budgeted an additional $100,000 in its two-year budget cycle to begin the EIS process. No timeline for completing the assessment or releasing results has been announced.
State lawmakers have also signaled interest in the site's future. House Bill 1742, which passed the state House 92-2 in February, would create a sustainable urban design center within the Department of Ecology, with its first design competition focused on the brewery property.
Local Reps. Beth Doglio and Lisa Parshley are among the bill's sponsors. The bill's current status in the Senate has not been confirmed.
What's next
The soil sampling results will inform what cleanup is needed before any redevelopment can proceed. The city has not announced a date for presenting findings to the council or the public.
"This is an opportunity for Washington state to be a leader in sustainable architecture and urban design by forming a center focused on new ways to innovate in urban spaces," Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, said in February when the House approved HB 1742.
Founded in the 1890s by Leopold Schmidt above Tumwater Falls, the brewery once employed hundreds. What replaces it depends first on what the soil reveals.
