While developer and Capitol Hill real estate investor George “Ted” Schroth might support a project to make 10th Ave in front of his Odd Fellows building a pedestrian-only plaza, you might want to hold off on any landscaping plans.

Wednesday, Schroth is scheduled to enter his plea in Chelan County Superior Court on charges that the 46-year-old poured 81 bags of salt around the bases of 123 trees neighboring The Lookout, Schroth’s Chelan, WA-located “lakeside village.” Police say evidence left at the scene and video surveillance from the local Wal-Mart prove Schroth is an attempted tree murderer:

Schroth has not replied to CHS about the case.

On Capitol Hill, the Eastside residing Schroth is best known as the landlord at the Odd Fellows building at 10th and Pine. He and wife Tricia Schroth acquired that property for $8.5 million in 2007. CHS wrote about the transformation of Odd Fellows from a neglected but well-used home for arts groups and performance spaces here last year as we looked at the creation of a new arts district in the neighborhood.

In the Chelan case, Schroth is charged with one count of first degree malicious mischief for the alleged October attempt to kill off the Whiskey Ranch trees. Police say the extent of the damage to the trees might not be known until later this spring. If all of the trees die — each a 30 to 40-foot poplar — the salting damages will include more than $295,000 in replacement costs.