Warehouse at site of old Starlite Swap Meet wants to park more trucks, trailers nearby
The warehouse/distribution center that replaced the former Star Lite Swap Meet site in Lakewood is requesting the city approve a land-use modification to accommodate growth.
The requested expansion calls for modifying the site’s existing Conditional Use Permit to eliminate its restriction of truck traffic to cross 82nd Street South.
According to information posted on the city’s website, “This modification will support the adjacent lot across 82nd Street South at 3515 82nd St. S., which will support trailer and truck parking for the warehouse.”
The Starlite Distribution Center, 3451 84th St. S., received its initial conditional use permit in 2018. The News Tribune reported in November 2018 that Star Lite, Lakewood’s legacy drive-in turned swap meet site, was set to be demolished and redeveloped as the distribution center.
Davis Property & Investment, which invests in and manages commercial real estate assets along the I-5 corridor, redeveloped the Lakewood site after it was purchased for $11.7 million in June 2019.
The Lakewood site was was sold for $39.5 million in late October 2020, to LBA OR Development-Company II LLC, affiliated with LBA Realty of Irvine, California.
The LBA LLC purchased the 2.28-acre 82nd Street lot in December 2021 for $2 million, county records show. The lot is next to Canterbury Estates Mobile Home Park.
A traffic impact assessment report was submitted by Heath & Associates of Puyallup for LBA Realty to the city. It stated that the proposed paved yard would accommodate semi-trailer and container parking with roughly 68 spaces.
“StarLite Warehouse has approximately 34 trailer storage spaces on the north end (of) the property and is experiencing the need for additional storage,” the report stated. “Empty trailers are either stored in front of dock doors or are transported off-site to another location, creating additional external trips. The proposed yard would allow a satellite lot across the street and improve efficiency and operations and is anticipated to reduce external trips.”
It added, “Based on information from the tenant, the yard is estimated to support between 5-7 cross-trips per day. All trips to and from the yard would originate from the warehouse. No new employees or additional traffic is expected as a result of the yard.”
The report also noted that the warehouse site itself was generating far fewer trips than initially estimated in 2019, when 342 daily trips were projected. According to actual measurements in March 2023, the report listed just 94 daily trips over the span of 24 hours at the southern driveways, (47 in/47 out), all taking place entering or accessing from 84th Street South.
The site’s 82nd Street access was locked and gated during the measuring period. The report also stated that “the existing StarLite warehouse western driveway was recommended to shift west to align opposite the proposed storage yard.”
A tentative public hearing date is still to be determined on the proposal, according to the city’s website. Written comments can be sent to the City of Lakewood Community and Economic Development Department, 6000 Main St. SW, Lakewood, WA. 98499. Comments must be received by 5 p.m. Jan. 5. Include any request for a copy of the determination, if sought, with your comment.
More information is available online at the City of Lakewood’s project page.
This story was originally published December 13, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
