Real Estate Happenings in West Puget Sound
According to local real estate sources, there is very little vacant commercially zoned property in the Silverdale area. And leasing-wise, near full capacity has been reached. However, there are some new developments within the past couple of years that are worth mentioning.
One recent development is the Walgreen’s on the northwest corner of Bucklin Hill Road and Silverdale Way. It is a spacious storefront with ample parking. There also is a drive-thru pharmacy available here. That provides much convenience for shoppers and is part of a growing trend. In addition, the southwest corner of Mickelberry and Bucklin Hill Road is the new home of Timberland Bank. Timerland Bank has been expanding and found Silverdale an ideal location to move into.
Construction was recently completed on a physician’s office located on Levin Road as well as the conversion of the Ridgetop Boulevard Retail Center into offices – both professional and medical. This area, in general, has grown by leaps and bounds with medical offices and facilities. The development of medical offices in Central Kitsap is due mainly to the phenomenal commitment Harrison Hospital has made to the area. Harrison Hospital originally purchased 34 acres, 11 of which have already been developed. The Hospital is popular due to the fact that it was designed with the convenience of the physicians in mind. There is a common ground whereby the physicians can easily walk from their offices to the hospital. Harrison Hospital in Silverdale also provides convenience for the patient by offering day surgery, a birthing center, and a pediatric center – all within the local community. As the Harrison Hospital area is developed with more physician and medical-related offices/services, it is easy to visualize how the patient’s convenience will be increased.
Another large-scale endeavor that was recently completed in central Kitsap is the Nextel project in the McWilliams Road and Highway 303 area. Located in what is considered east Bremerton, it consists of a 60,000 square foot one-story building which houses the incoming call center for Nextel products. In addition to providing further economic diversity to our local economy, the Nextel project is important for our community and county for various reasons. First, it is bringing in an estimated $10,000,000 payroll to our county. Secondly, the construction of the facility provided immediate jobs, thereby utilizing skilled labor. And thirdly, additional revenue in the form of taxes and fees will be “kicked back” into our local economy from both the primary and secondary jobs generated by the project. (Primary jobs would consist of call center employees. Secondary jobs would consist of construction workers during the building phase). For further information on the Nextel project visit Kitsap County’s Economic Development Committee site at www.kitsapedc.org.
Puget Sound’s Central Kitsap County provides a wonderful mixture of economic opportunities and environmental awareness. Tied into any real estate development in the County is wetlands protection and environmental concerns. The Clear Creek Trail project is a great example of the community forming a cohesive unit to help protect the environment and at the same time utilize it to its higher potential. This user friendly paved trail is a delight to hikers and walkers of all skill levels. It is enjoyed by many wanting to simply ‘get back to nature’ and walk away their worries. The completion of this project has provided residents with a chance to further enjoy this scenic yet developed area. The Clear Creek Trail is just another wonderful way to enjoy the great outdoors found in West Puget Sound.
