The West Central Park Neighborhood Center is located on the west side of Olympia, WA between Harrison Avenue, Cushing Street, 4th Avenue, and Division Street. We are home to the Marie Bed & Breakfast, The Park Side Cafe, The Rolling Pin kitchen shop, West Central Park Project, multiple food trucks, and the Saturday Market at the West Central Park. In the near future we will also be adding two more retail spaces and residential rental flats!
The vision for the West Central Park Neighborhood Center (WCPNC) is to create a vibrant neighborhood space that is welcoming to all and fosters a strong sense of local community in West Olympia. Alicia Elliott, the founder and CEO, is now several years into the process of restoring seven properties on the block. When the WCPNC is complete, it will be a community centered, pedestrian and bike friendly retail shopping and dining experience bordering a community park. Situated near many single family homes, the WCPNC affords local residents a unique opportunity to gather and to get to know each other better, simply by walking a few blocks!
The park portion of the block, The West Central Park Project, is open to the public seven days a week, year round. Hours of individual businesses vary per location. Please visit the our business listings page for more details about specific hours of operation.
Our History
Between 1869, when the first bridge connecting Olympia’s Downtown to it’s West Side was built, and 1997, when Rowland Lumber Company was demolished, the history reports of what went on at the Harrison and Division corner are vague. Local residents say that Rowland was built in 1926 and operated until the early 1980’s when it finally shut it’s doors. It’s next resident, a local business called The Treasure Chest, set up shop in the building until 1985 when the building was finally abandoned once and for all. The empty building caught fire in 1997 and the remaining dismal appearance caused the city to help fund it’s demolition in September of that year.
Soon after demolition was completed, the property was purchased by a local Olympia resident who made several attempts to sell the property commercially over the next 16 years to several major gas station and convenience store developers. However, the attempted sales received harsh criticism from the local community and the project was finally abandoned in mid November 2012, leaving the property up for sale again. Finally on December 3, 2012, the vacant corner lot was purchased once and for all to make way for the West Central Park Project and the future home of the West Central Park Neighborhood Center.
As we move ahead with new projects, ongoing meetings with both city officials and concerned neighbors are allowing for a slow, phased development. The WCPNC welcomes commentary and participation from the community and the city on all levels of this project’s development. For more information or to share your questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact us.