PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson Transit’s purchase of a building adjacent to the Haines Street Park & Ride will improve service and safety, according to the agency’s director.
“This will give us the opportunity for us to provide better customer service,” said General Manager Tammi Rubert.
“It will provide an open and inviting space that will include a waiting area where our passengers can get information and purchase passes.”
The Transit board Tuesday agreed to purchase the building, located at 440 12th St., from the city of Port Townsend for $131,890 — $121,000 for the building itself and $10,890 sales tax.
The 1,344-square-foot manufactured building, which is at the busiest bus terminal in Port Townsend, will offer riders easier access than Transit’s present building at 1615 W. Sims Way, Rubert said.
“I think this is the best use of our resources,” said Jefferson County Commissioner David Sullivan, Transit board chairman. “It will help us have a greater presence in Port Townsend.”
Transit’s present Sims Way headquarters serves as a bus maintenance facility, administrative office and customer service center.
The plan is to move by March 1 and split functions between two buildings, the one it has agreed to purchase and another under construction at 63 Four Corners Road, southwest of the city limit.
Customer service and field supervisor offices will be in the 12th Street building.
Maintenance and administration functions, along with bus parking, a canopied fuel island, a wash facility and parking, will be at the 13,500-square-foot, $6.8 million Four Corners Road site.
Costs of the Four Corners Road building includes $1.1 million for design, $188,000 for project management, $216,000 for land purchase and $89,000 for permitting and miscellaneous expenses, with a $345,000 contingency fund.
The project is funded by a $3.2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration — matched by $2.7 million from Jefferson Transit — a $720,000 Surface Transportation Grant and a $60,000 fuel sharing agreement with East Jefferson Fire-Rescue.
Transit officials plan to sell the Sims Way structure.
Transit’s changes will mean a move for the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center.
The 12th Street building, which was constructed in 2008 on land owned by Jefferson Transit, now houses the chamber and visitor center.
The chamber, which has three employees and a volunteer staff that handles tourist inquiries, has plans to move to 2409 Jefferson St., which has been occupied by the nonprofit Northwind Arts Center for 12 years.
This depends on Northwind’s ability to raise enough money for the purchase of the Waterman & Katz building at 701 Water St., which it is currently occupying with a six-month lease.
Northwind needs to raise about $345,000 for the purchase and renovation of the building.
Pledges so far add up to $236,588, according to Michael D’Allessandro, its executive director.
So Northwind is stepping up its fundraising in a “close the gap” effort to raise the needed $108,412.
A fundraiser took place Thursday night, and D’Allessandro is scheduled to make a presentation about the project at noon Monday to the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge, 333 Otto St.
If the Northwind fundraising effort is not successful, it will stay in its current location.
In that case, the chamber would need to find another location by March 1, according to membership director Laura Brackenridge.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
