The company was looking “for the ideal town, land and community to build a building that would be sustainable,” according to Kris Swartz, co-owner with husband Richard of Amajin Architecture Ink, which was hired to design the project.

“They scouted around Seattle, saw Port Orchard and fell in love with it,” she said. “The developers are very ecologically friendly and want to do something that suits the site.”

The building would start at three stories on its west side and rise to seven on the east. Swartz said the design is intended to preserve existing views. “Rather than blocking everyone’s views, we’re blending into the hillside,” she said.

For the building’s environmentally friendly features, the architects are exploring options such as solar panels on the rooftop, a large greenhouse to capture exhaust from the garage, wind turbines and possible tidal surge turbines to create electricity, and a feature to recycle gray water. The lower level would be occupied by retail stores, with offices on the next level and condos on the upper floor. Preliminary estimates put the price tag of the project at $36 million but Swartz said that may change once the exact breakdown of square footage is known for the businesses and condos.

Swartz said one of the reasons that made the location attractive for the developers is the city’s interest in upgrading its downtown. The building would fit well within the revitalization process and would help draw people downtown while providing new shopping and services, she said.

Before the project could proceed and applications can be submitted for a permit, changes would need to be made to the city code. The developers hope to break ground in about a year, with construction to last about 18 months.

Swartz added the city has already started discussing the necessary changes in the zoning code. “We’ve got a really good response from the mayor and city council.”.