|
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT “KITSAP SEED” AWARDED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION GRANT
| 9/14/2006 |
 |
PORT ORCHARD, WA, SEPTEMBER 13, 2006: The Port of Bremerton Board of Commissioners announced today that its Sustainable Energy and Economic Development project “Kitsap SEED” has been awarded $427,500 in economic development funding from the federal Economic Development Administration. The funds will be used for completion of the concept planning and engineering and technical design of the project’s initial phase, a sustainable business park known as “Pod 1”. The SEED campus will eventually be the home for several similar business park pods.
“This award shows how much credibility the Port and the project has gained in the economic development community,” said Commissioner Mary Ann Huntington. “In our recent trips to Washington, DC, and in Olympia, we constantly are asked about Kitsap SEED, and that curiosity has turned into investment for Kitsap.”
This federal award, coupled with $800,000 previously provided by the State Legislature through a state capital construction grant, will fund the completion of the engineering plans for Pod 1, expected to be complete next spring. Pod 1, with a final build-out price tag of $32 million, includes highly advanced business incubation, laboratory, manufacturing and marketing facilities. These facilities will be available to all SEED campus tenants.
“We are excited about this funding, because along with other state and local investment, we can see what a great opportunity Kitsap has to take a leadership role in the new-energy economic boom which is now starting to take off nationally,” remarked Ken Attebery, Port CEO. “This is a huge project with tremendous potential to provide jobs and recognition for Kitsap. These successes take time and a lot of hard work by our local, state and federal elected officials and this is a big step forward.”
One specific and interesting feature of this grant is that it provides funding for the detailed planning of the Pod 1 clean technology business incubator, which will be the first in the entire northwest quadrant of the United States. The Port is working with a firm from San Jose, who has built and managed several such incubators in other locations, to create both a resource and a marketing opportunity out of this facility.
With the awarding of this grant, the complete Kitsap SEED design team will be able to come together and move forward with design work. It is expected to include some of the most advanced design and building experts on the west coast. The project is aiming for a “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) design platinum sustainability rating, a rating which has only been given to three other facilities in North America.
“Now that we have full design funding, we will soon be moving toward active recruitment of some very exciting businesses. Word has spread nationally and internationally that we are here, but we’ve needed to show them we are moving forward, and this will do that” commented Commissioner Cheryl Kincer.
The third Port Commissioner, Bill Mahan, was pleased to pass on credit to other officials who helped in this process. “Senator Cantwell has shown a strong interest in the project and Congressman Inslee is rock solid in leading the new energy discussion. Locally, County Commissioner Jan Angel has been a long time supporter of the Port project which is located in South Kitsap and most recently County Commissioners Lent and Endresen have provided written support to the Economic Development Administration. Demonstrating the wide appeal of the Port’s Kitsap SEED project it is supported by both the Economic Development Council and the West Sound Conservation Council, a leading Kitsap environmental organization. We have been acknowledged as the leading clean technology project in the Puget Sound. We think this is an initiative all can support together.”
Next, as recruitment ramps up, will be a campaign to obtain the construction funding required to get Pod 1 built. The SEED financing strategy aims to secure approximately one-half from grant resources, and one-half from tenant revenue financing generated from the occupants of the facilities. The remainder of the 75 acre Kitsap SEED campus will be developed with private funding, and is projected to house roughly 2000 jobs working in the rapidly expanding new energy/clean technology industry sector.
|
|
|
|
