According to a report, a California developer is looking to replace the Seattle/Tacoma KOA campground by building a massive warehouse. The KOA has been operating in Kent, Washington, for over 40 years.
KOA (Kampgrounds of America) has shut down the Kent site located at 5801 South 212th St., close to Russell Road on November 1.
As per King County property records, the South Dakota-based Recreational Adventures Co., which operated and owned the KOA, has sold 8.1 acres to Lift Partners of San Francisco for $10.3 million. Lift Partners is a full-service real estate investment firm that focuses on office and industrial opportunities across the West Coast, according to its website.
The KOA site is being reviewed for development of an approximately 100,000-square-foot warehouse building,” said Matt Gilbert, city deputy director of Economic and Community Development, in an email. “Assuming the plan review process proceeds per normal, the site should be under construction in spring/summer 2022.”
Lift Partners will face new requirements from the city to build the warehouse.
“This will be one of the early warehouses built under the city’s newly adopted industrial design standards which require employee amenities like outdoor amenity spaces, less visible semi-truck areas, and better building aesthetics,” Gilbert said.
KOA had 189 campsites at its Kent site, which opened in 1978. Recreational Adventures Co. took control of the operation and took ownership in 1995. The property was sold for $1.9 million in January of 1996, according to county property records. That means Recreational Adventures made about $8 million in this year’s sale.
Recreational Adventures operates 14 KOA campgrounds across the United States, Marketing Director Gwyn Wathen said.
Some campers were still on the property this month, but no new campers are permitted since it’s officially closed.
The King County Assessor appraised the property for $6.5 million this year. The assessor described the quality of the camping facilities as average. The property was appraised at $2.7 million in 2016, as per the county’s property records.
I’m really curious about how the locals feel about turning the King County KOA campground into a big warehouse. I’d love to know what cool perks and design changes they’re planning to make it meet the city’s standards. What do you think about this transformation?