Bremerton Sailing into New Territory –
An Updated City Core

Until five years ago, the Bremerton, Wash. waterfront had so much decay it looked like a meth user’s mouth.

by Lucy Bodilly

Pockets of empty storefronts, nasty taverns and blocks of surface parking marred one of the most beautiful sites in the central Puget Sound region.

Located across Puget Sound from Seattle and home to a Naval Station and ferry service, the city has potential as a major tourist destination and the economic hub of Kitsap County.  Voters envisioned the transformation, but only if they didn’t have to spend money on it.

In stepped Cary Bozeman, who ran for Mayor on a platform that called for downtown redevelopment. A long time civic activist and the former Mayor of Bellevue, Wash.,  Bozeman has a reputation as a change agent.

“If you want things to stay the same, I’m not your guy,” Bozeman said.

His success in Bremerton proves the statement is not just political rhetoric.

Under a five-year plan, and after Bozeman’s fifth year in office, the waterfront is now home to a hotel and convention center, and a central plaza. Two multi-story office buildings hover over the area.  Two waterfront condominiums, a fountain Park and marina improvements are under construction. The state department of Transportation just opened bids on a tunnel which will take ferry traffic away from downtown and make the waterfront a pedestrian friendly place it deserves to be.

Next year, the plan calls for development to start one block back from the waterfront.  Bozeman, and his economic team are working on redeveloping the 80,000-sq.ft. J.C. Penny’s building and bringing in another hotel to help beef up traffic at the convention center.  Phase II will start on the Harborside Condos.

Amazingly, “all of this has been done with no increased taxes,” Bozeman said.  “Instead we approached every entity we could find – the state and federal governments, the Port, the county and private developers.” 

Opus development was one of the first to step into line, with $25 million for the convention center and hotel. A collection of government agencies kicked in $25 million, and the hotel paid for its own construction costs.  Next Opus answered an RFP to build one of the office buildings, a six-story structure owned by Kitsap Federal Credit Union.  Money garnered by Congressman Norm Dicks paid for a new city hall. And Senator Patty Murray secured the funds for the tunnel project.

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Fountain Park

In keeping with the maritime theme, and the city’s fondness of water, is a park by the ferry terminal with five different fountains. Synergy Construction, Seattle, is the general contractor on the $10 million project.

The site, which sits between the ferry terminal and plaza and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, contains five copper-clad fountains.  Shaped like sub marine con towers, the design made construction difficult.

“No two pieces of the copper sheeting are the same size and they have to fit together perfectly,” said whoever, Synergy project manager. The park opened in mid-December,

“It gives everybody access to the waterfront,” Bozeman said.

Waterfront Condos

Securing the city’s place as a contender are two waterfront condo buildings that overlook the water. One is being built by E Kent Halvorson and owned by U.S. Calvoard.  Chris Rafetery, who has worked for firms such as Lease Crutcher Lewis, Constructors Pamco and MKA all of Seattle, is now president of the development firm.

“We think Bremerton is a great place to be and plan on developing a downtown hotel after the condos are finished,” Raftery said.  “The city is putting in a great infrastructure which will continue to attract clients to the downtown area.”

The condo project, contains 72 units of upscale housing.  Instead of claiming the top floors for penthouses, condo sizes are mixed throughout the project. The smallest unit on the top floor is 600-sq.-ft.