Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – We learned Wednesday that the Lower Elwha Tribe hopes to begin construction of their hotel in downtown Port Angeles sometime next summer. We also learned that, because of Covid-19 complications and the discovery of more contaminants under the property than anyone had predicted, there have been serious discussions between Tribe officials about whether building the hotel would even be feasible.
The Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce sponsored a presentation and update by Tribe spokesman Michael Peters Wednesday, the first we’ve heard publicly about the project since demolition at the site concluded earlier this year.
Peters said that the water table beneath the property was found to be tainted with pollutants. The Department of Ecology requires that they pump that water through filters and run monthly tests to show that they’re getting the water clean, and that it’s staying clean, before construction can begin.
“Washington State Department of Ecology must see four consecutive quarters where the tests show toxin levels below the state standards. Well, I’m happy to report today that we’ve met three quarters that the toxins are below state standards. So we need one more quarter, and we’re hoping to do those fourth quarter tests in late December. It probably won’t be until after the first of the year before we see those results.
If the water test results are good, the project can move forward. If not, the 4 quarters would have to begin anew, delaying construction for another year.
Peters says the pandemic stopped work at the site in Spring, but feels lucky that demolition and cleanup were complete by then. It has also caused many hotels to be operating at about 50% capacity. Add in the fact that the US/Canada border is closed, halting the Black Ball Ferry business completely, and Tribe officials had to take a hard look at whether a new hotel would be viable. Ultimately, they decided it would be.
“How did we come to that conclusion? Well, we looked at the length of time that we still need to get permits, to finalize construction documents, the amount of time that it would take to construct this project, and then project out what the economy is going to do. And so, being in the gambling business for quite a bit of my life, I looked at, ‘Okay, what are these odds and what will it be in two years, three years, five years?’ And so we did, and the Tribe came back and said ‘yes, this is a project that we want to continue with’.
The layout for the latest design shows a long, narrow 3-story hotel running north to south, with a restaurant on the water side, a full-length parking lot and hotel entrance along Laurel Street, and a swimming pool on the Front Street side. The plan also includes options for expanding the hotel at a later time.
Construction is expected to take 14-18 months.
Photo: Artist rendering showing current design as seen from the north.