The Hands On Children’s Museum in Olympia is looking to add an 18,000 square-foot expansion to the existing museum on Jefferson Street Southeast.
The expansion would be located about 45 feet north of the existing building and would be used for galleries, pre-k classrooms, event spaces, administrative offices and support areas.
The expansion and the existing museum would be attached by a level-two connector space.
The Hands On Children’s Museum submitted an application to the City of Olympia for the permits needed to build the expansion on June 26. The city issued public notice about the project on July 13.
The application also includes a proposal for a new utility building on site.
Because the project is proposed within the shoreline jurisdiction, the Hands on Children’s Museum needs to obtain a Substantial Shoreline Development Permit in addition to the standard approvals needed to begin construction.
The City of Olympia is accepting public comments related to the project proposal through 5 p.m. on Aug. 13, ahead of a design review board meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 20.
Public comments can be submitted to Associate Planner Paula Smith at psmith@ci.olympia.wa.us. Public testimony will not be heard at the meeting.
To attend the meeting via Zoom, visit https://tinyurl.com/r5cy29rx.
For more information about the proposal, including access to documents and studies submitted by the applicant, visit the Olympia Permit Portal at olympiawa.gov/permitportal and reference project number 26-3252.
