🏢 Affordable Housing Project Underway in Downtown Olympia

If you’ve been near Capitol Lake recently, you may have noticed construction picking up at a familiar address. The project known as The Gibson is now officially underway — and it marks another shift in downtown Olympia’s redevelopment story.

🔨 From Office Building to Affordable Housing

The Gibson is converting a previously vacant office building into 64 units of affordable housing, offering much-needed relief as Olympia faces rising housing costs and continued demand for central, walkable housing.

The building is being developed by Ken Brogan, a local name with a track record of turning underused buildings into desirable housing. Brogan also led the development of The Views on Fifth, which transformed a nearby office building overlooking Budd Inlet and Capitol Lake into upscale housing.

🏙️ Downtown Olympia’s Office-to-Housing Trend

This project is part of a growing trend in Olympia and other urban areas — converting older office spaces into residential units as remote work reduces demand for traditional commercial space.

With walkable access to the Capitol, parks, downtown shops, and the lakefront, this location offers both convenience and community for residents who may otherwise be priced out of central Olympia.

💬 Why It Matters

Affordable housing projects like The Gibson:

• Provide new options for low- and moderate-income households

• Help revitalize downtown cores by filling vacant buildings

• Reflect a shift in how cities repurpose commercial real estate

And in a post-COVID environment where office occupancy continues to drop, it’s a creative way to meet housing needs while keeping Olympia’s downtown vibrant.

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