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When Mayor Cary Bozeman first saw Bremerton, he drove down Washington Avenue toward the ferry dock, he was shocked at what lay before him. There was some of the finest-quality waterfront land in all of the Puget Sound region — and it was being used as a parking lot. From that parking lot has sprung a conference center, hotel, and now condominium residences.
On Oct. 5, hundreds of people enjoyed what “Kitsap’s waterfront parking” has become while celebrating three historic milestones: the grand opening of the Harborside Condominiums, the presentation of the Puget Sound Energy Pioneer Award to Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority’s Norm McLoughlin and the debut of the first portion of a Harborside Trail’s three-mile loop.
Over the past year, Bremerton averaged one ribbon cutting or groundbreaking per month. For the first time in decades, residents and businesses — including a Seattle software company — are moving to Bremerton. The number of business license and permit applications have doubled since 2001; B&O tax revenues are up after decades of decline, and the city is experiencing a major economic upswing.
“Downtown Day” celebrated all that has been accomplished, and embraced the upcoming projects that will complete the renewal vision: a mixed-use property nearby that may include a grocery store; the Port of Bremerton’s marina expansion, and the final, phase of public investment on land adjacent to the Harborside Condominiums.
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