Dirty Dave’s OK after burglary, hotel to housing plan begins, Tumwater apartment updates

Dirty Dave’s Pizza Parlor was recently burglarized, but some broken equipment and a broken window didn’t keep the iconic business from reopening the same day.

Restaurant manager Reid Hemphill was on vacation Sunday, June 25, but he returned to work Thursday morning to learn more about the break-in and to review video.

Among other things, the video showed the suspect stealing empty cash register tills, he said.

“We are in good spirits and still in good shape,” Hemphill said. “It’s a little inconvenient and it doesn’t feel good to be burglarized, but it’s not the first time and probably won’t be the last time. It’s no worse than that. It’s a little interruption to the flow of business.”

Hemphill said nobody was hurt, and the business received supportive messages from the community on social media and via text.

“The public did reach out to us and we appreciate the support,” he said.

Hemphill has been restaurant manager for a little over three years. What do you change at a business that has been around for more than 50 years? Not much.

“I am not reinventing the wheel,” he said. “The legacy was built long before I got here. I just want to help steward it a little further down the road.”

That means the business will be smart and nimble when it comes to upgrading equipment and technology, and it will continue to be meticulous about maintaining food quality, he said.

The menu has changed very little over the years.

“That’s why people love this place,” he said. “It takes you back, the smells and tastes, just like it was years ago.”

The two most popular items at Dirty Dave’s? The Jake Sandwich and the Gay 90’s Special, a pizza served with cashews, pepperoni, sausage and onions.

Other business happenings

The owner of the Olympia Hotel at Capitol Lake, which used to be a Red Lion property, is moving forward with a plan to alter zoning so that the hotel can be converted into multi-family housing.

The city of Olympia has received a notice of application for a text amendment to the Evergreen Park planned urban development (PUD). The hotel at 2300 Evergreen Park Drive SW falls within the PUD, which currently does not allow multi-family housing.

The text amendment would need approval from the Olympia City Council. A comment period on the amendment runs until 5 p.m. July 19. Send your comments to Associate Planner Jackson Ewing at jewing@ci.olympia.wa.us.

The developer of the Yorkshire, one of the largest apartment projects proposed for Thurston County at more than 1,000 units, has submitted an amended application to the city of Tumwater, city information shows.

The application was re-submitted because the applicant proposed minor changes to the site plan, and a revised phasing plan. The development is on a 21.73-acre parcel between Israel Road and Tumwater Boulevard.

The resubmitted application, which the city deemed complete on June 22, also has a new comment period that runs through 5 p.m. July 12. Send comments to Tumwater Permit Manager Tami Merriman at tmerriman@ci.tumwater.wa.us.

The city of Tumwater also has issued a mitigated determination of nonsignificance for Belmont Flats, a 626-unit development to be built on multiple unaddressed lots west of I-5 and north of Tumwater Boulevard.

The decision means an environmental impact statement is not required for the project, but the developer still must take steps to mitigate project impacts.

Among them: Construct a roundabout at the northbound Interstate 5 on/off ramp at the Tumwater Boulevard intersection, or pay a mitigation fee of $4,219 per peak trip generated by the project, according to city information.

The mitigated determination has a comment period and an appeal period. Send comments by 5 p.m. July 12 to Associate Planner Alex Baruch at abaruch@ci.tumwater.wa.us.

An appeal of the mitigated determination must be made by 5 p.m. July 19. All appeals shall be in writing, be signed by the appellant, be accompanied by a filing fee of $175, and specify the basis for the appeal, error alleged and relief requested, according to the city.

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@theolympian.com.