By Kyle Peschler
From the November/December 2024 Issue
There are many factors that go into site selection. When employees are content, they can deliver high productivity in their work. The ideal location to live, work, and spend leisure time plays a big part in that. An employee’s quality of life can ensure satisfaction and boost productivity. To attract and keep good employees, companies are more mindful than ever of where their workers want to live. While preferences vary, people want good schools for their children, low crime rates, a range of recreation, affordable housing, and accessible healthcare. Locating a company to an area that offers these amenities will help reduce turnover while enhancing recruitment.
Bremerton, WA: Quality Of Life, Available Land For Business
The Olympic View Industrial Park (OVIP), located in Bremerton, Washington, is one of the largest industrial parks in the state outside of a major city, i.e., Seattle or Tacoma. With hundreds of acres of developable land, OVIP caters to a variety of companies—whether one acre for a start-up or 25 acres for a manufacturing facility. You will be in good company with businesses like SAFE Boats, Inventech Marine Solutions, General Dynamics Electric Boat, and more.
Olympic View Industrial Park offers the best of both worlds in Kitsap County’s affordable and beautiful area while maintaining an advantageous industry edge via a foreign trade zone, on-site railroad access, and adjacent airport (Bremerton National Airport with a 6,000-foot runway). Notably, the rail connections connect the property to the Port of Grays Harbor via the Puget Sound & Pacific (PSAP), which also connects to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Union Pacific (UP) mainlines. Sites at OVIP offer shovel-ready properties with water, sewage, fiber optics, and other amenities available, as well as land leases that include favorable environmental standards.
Kitsap County’s beauty comes from the pristine Puget Sound views, Cascade Mountain ranges, plentiful community parks, and vibrant events. As the largest Port in Kitsap County, the Port of Bremerton does its part to protect these components in a variety of ways. Lately, they have been looking for ways to increase dependence on green energy, including adding charging stations at Bremerton National Airport for electric aircraft, electrifying the soon-to-be-constructed Port Orchard Marina Breakwater, and exploring the use of available land for a solar farm. For years now, they also take part in sponsoring local events that draw thousands of visitors and residents alike, often contributing to upwards of 50 events each year.
Moreover, Kitsap County is known for its skilled workforce, allowing companies to thrive through expansion or just beginning. Located close to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and a variety of colleges, including Olympic College which maintains a favorable welding program, this region is equipped to handle large-scale operations.
Olympic View Industrial Park is owned and operated by the Port of Bremerton, a well-regarded organization that was recently honored as Washington State’s 2023 Port of the Year. This recognition is a testament to the Port’s commitment to quality operations, community investment, and sustainable energy. By choosing OVIP, companies align with a trusted partner who consistently invests in capital improvements to facilities and tenant support.
Visit www.portofbremerton.org for more information.
