Latest news with #Kirkland-based
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hilltop cocktail lounge, amid neighborhood construction, closes after a year
The Hilltop cocktail bar known as 1022 South J has closed after one year under new ownership. Vanessa Goodrum and Corina Cross announced the closure in early April on Instagram, where they shared some of their struggles with the bar and the apparent impact of nearby construction in recent months. 'We appreciate all of you who have come by to experience 1022 while we had the honor of being there,' they wrote on April 2. 'The 1022 team and each of you and your support made this last year a time in our lives that we will always cherish. No matter the hardship, it was worth it. Unfortunately the negative impacts have started to affect our family, and that is not something we can allow to happen.' In a message to The News Tribune, they preferred not to elaborate beyond reiterating their appreciation for the experience of first-time restaurant ownership and the importance of caring for their families. 'To take a chance on two middle-aged moms with no experience in the hospitality industry means a lot to us,' they said. 'We did all we set out to accomplish, except financial success. That's hard, not only for us but the team who took a chance on us.' They were also grateful to have offered a 'safe place for everyone,' including the LGBTQ+ community. Goodrum and Cross, who both worked at a local optometry office, reached a deal in late 2023 to buy the bar from Lesley Fleming and Neil Harris, who own the building. The property owners, who also own The New Frontier Lounge in the Dome District, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The couple decided to keep the name, which references the bar's address and carries local cocktail lore dating to the early 2000s. (In 2022, the chef and bar manager of its previous iteration were slated to take over before that arrangement fizzled.) The reincarnated 1022 also focused on cocktails, accompanied by dishes like steak with chimichurri at dinner and biscuits and gravy, fried chicken and bread pudding for brunch, plus frequent specials and happy-hour deals. In July, just a few months in, the owners posted on Instagram that 'construction and parking are a mess,' in apparent reference to the 330,000-square foot, five-story development that now towers over the single-story building at the corner of South J and 11th. Aspire 11's journey began in 2015, when a Kirkland-based developer showed interest in what was a vacant lot with a history of failed housing attempts, The News Tribune reported as the land deal was going through standard approval processes. The mixed-use complex — which spans almost the entire block between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and South J Street, from South 10th to 11th — broke ground in 2022. It received an 8-year multi-family tax exemption (MFTE) two years prior and qualified for Opportunity Zone funding, The News Tribune reported at the time. The developer had also pledged $500,000 to support neighborhood groups that manage health, education or wellness outcomes for residents, but it's unclear if 1022 would have been eligible for those funds. The website says some of its 289 units are now leasing, with monthly rates for studios around $1,400 and 1-bedrooms around $1,600, up to 2-bedrooms with two baths around $2,800. Workers could be seen outside on Martin Luther King Jr. Way as recently as April 8. Reached by phone, Tejvir Basra, who is leading the project for the developer, declined to speak in detail but said the project has 'been a long road,' and he hopes the influx of tenants will benefit the neighborhood in the long-term. 1022 South J shared the corner building with Manifesto Coffee and Goodfellas Barber Shop, both of which remain open. Jadin Bulger opened his coffee roastery and cafe at 1003 S. 11th St. in 2016. He told The News Tribune in a phone call last week that the bar had known busy summers on the patio in years past, but Goodrum and Cross lost access to their patio right when they maybe needed it most. 'That seemed pretty big to me,' he said. Communication with construction crews has been frustrating, Bulger said. Ongoing work had affected parking on both South J and South 11th streets, and at times limited access to their and their neighbors' only entrances. It was sporadic for the first two years, but the complications began happening more frequently and for longer periods at a time last summer, he said, adding that he has communicated frequently with the city. Last August, Goodrum and Cross said on Instagram that the bar had to 'close during lunch,' and they weren't able to use the patio or serve alcohol outside. Then in January, they called more attention to their difficulties in a GoFundMe that noted 'unforeseen setbacks' and some 'red flags' that perhaps they had overlooked. City spokesperson Maria Lee confirmed that city staff are aware of 'some communication challenges' between the contractor, Spanaway-based Jody Miller Construction, and neighboring businesses. Formal complaints filed through 311 were 'limited,' she said in an email Monday, but 'city staff were responsive when concerns were brought directly to their attention.' They have fielded 10 to 15 such concerns since 2022. She described the issues as 'primarily related to typical construction inconveniences such as temporary sidewalk or parking impacts, rather than code or safety hazards.' Staff discussed requirements with the contractor and tried to streamline communication with affected neighbors, she said. 'It's relevant to note that this area has seen multiple construction projects with various contractors recently, adding complexity,' continued Lee. 'We are pleased that the Aspire 11 project is now nearing completion.' Building inspectors approved a temporary occupancy certificate recently, while 'remaining work and related inconveniences will conclude in the coming months.' When right-of-ways are compromised, added Lee, the city can take enforcement actions including stop-work orders 'for serious or repeated issues.' Fellow restaurateurs, including Grann and Tibbitts at Fern Hill, hosted pop-ups at 1022 South J in an attempt to galvanize their own fans, but it wasn't enough. 'The hurdles just kept surmounting the ability to obtain success,' said Goodrum and Cross in their message to The News Tribune. 'When the choice of providing for our family was in jeopardy, it made the choice simple: family first.'
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A new restaurant is coming to Lacey at Huntamer Park. You'll recognize the owner's name
Rick Nelsen, who founded the steakhouse Ricardo's and later sold the business, is getting back into the game, announcing this week that he has started work on a new restaurant not far from the old one. The new venture is an Italian restaurant, serving Italian wines, called Bottega, which Nelsen says translates into a 'master's work place where he perfects his trade.' For someone who has worked in the restaurant business for 20 years, the name seemed fitting, Nelsen said. Work has just started on the space, which measures more than 5,600 square feet on the ground floor of the 640 building on Woodland Square Loop, near Huntamer Park. In fact, garage-style doors at the restaurant will open to the park, Nelsen said. In addition to the restaurant, Bottega will feature a bar, a banquet room, a wood-fired oven and side rooms. He described Bottega as an upscale restaurant, although it won't be too expensive, he said. The restaurant is expected to open this summer, Nelsen said. That's not the only activity at the 640 building, said Mike McClure, a partner in Kirkland-based MJR Development. The engineering company KPFF also has leased 12,000 square feet on the ground floor, he said. Years ago, MJR acquired a number of state office buildings in the immediate area and they continue to redevelop them. An office building turned into apartments is almost complete, and then their next big project is to build 376 apartments on a site east of the 640 building. It's currently a parking lot. MultiCare Capital Medical Center is exploring a new development for medical specialists northwest of the hospital on McPhee Road. Developer representatives met with Olympia's site plan review committee on Wednesday. The hospital owns the parcel and is now trying to determine if it will be feasible to bring a two-story, 40,000-square-foot building to the site, said Capital Medical Center President Will Callicoat. The hospital has built up its primary care services, but also needs a place to house specialists that patients can be referred to, he said. Other MultiCare news: ▪ The health system is working to raise $1.6 million for a comprehensive breast center, which would fill existing space on McPhee Road. The center would be set up so that patients could get a mammogram and a biopsy immediately if the mammogram detected something that needed to be checked, Callicoat said. The goal is to minimize the period of anxiety for patients waiting for medical results, he said. So far they have raised $1.2 million. ▪ MultiCare's fifth Indigo Urgent Care location in Thurston County is set to open in Yelm this May. The location is at 937 Yelm Ave. W. The four other locations are in Hawks Prairie, Lacey, Tumwater and west Olympia. A reader writes: 'I drove by the El Sarape in west Olympia and noticed they have changed their name to 'Charro.' Indeed, they have, according to a social media post on Instagram. Charro is at 955 Black Lake Blvd SW. 'If you've dined with us recently, you may have noticed something different,' the post reads. 'Allow us to introduce CHARRO. The same mouthwatering menu you love, served by the same friendly faces you know.' It also doesn't appear to be part of El Sarape anymore. The El Sarape website shows locations only in Lacey and Shelton. Representatives of Purcell Tire were set to meet with Tumwater's development review committee on Thursday to discuss an interior remodel of space at 2775 29th Ave SW, according to city information. Local government site plan and development review committees provide developers with information about what will be expected of their projects. Biz news: Red Wind Casino opens new food court. Olympia manufacturer to close, lay off 54 Ricardo's 'sexy beef' makes its move to central Lacey One of Lacey's best known restaurants has a new owner. Now, about those Costco rumors... If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@
