Quincy Square on 4th

PROJECT UPDATE (March 15, 2022)

The City will receive a $2.5 million grant from the Federal Community Projects Fund for the construction of Quincy Square. The grant along with a $2 million dollar commitment from the City’s budget, fully funds the construction of the project. The federal grant was championed by Congressman Derek Kilmer and supported by many local agencies and community groups.

Kilmer News Release

The project team will immediately begin to work with our federal funding partner on the grant details and will pursue final permitting for the project. The team expects to complete those tasks by the 3rd quarter of 2022 and will put the project out to bid in late 2022. Construction will commence during the spring/summer construction season of 2023.

PUBLIC OUTREACH

A virtual public meeting was held via Zoom on January 20, 2022. 36 members of the public attended, and the project team gave a 40-minute presentation and then accepted questions and comments. A copy of the presentation materials including a plan sheet are linked below.

In response to feedback received regarding public outreach to the African American Community the City completed additional outreach in late 2020 and early 2021. Below is a link to a booklet that chronicles that outreach effort. Additionally, as described in the booklet, keystone artworks will be solicited and selected by processes supported by the community. This effort has begun in cooperation with the City’s Arts Commission. The Arts Commission solicited volunteers for two committees that will vision and select artists for a large scale painted mural and for a 3-dimensional art piece. Artists interested in receiving the call for artists can sign up for the City’s Artist Registry here.

Quincy Square Outreach Booklet (PDF)

The City was approached by a group of citizens that expressed interest in changing the name of 4th Street from Washington to Pacific to “Quincy Jones Way”. A public outreach meeting was held in February of 2021 on that topic. Due to feedback from several business owners regarding the cost of the street name change, and considering the Covid 19 pandemic, the City will not proceed with the name change at this time. However, the City will revisit this request at a later date.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The concept for improving 4th Street from Pacific Avenue to Washington Avenue was developed over the past several years by a grass roots consortium of active and interested citizens, professional groups, and developers. The vision for the block, honoring Quincy Jones, is to revitalize a long-neglected street into an active, housing-based, day-to-night urban center with focused arts, entertainment, and evening-centric retail spaces. The concept compliments and builds on the revitalization of downtown that has been happening block by block over the last two decades and will encourage increased density and housing in the downtown area.

Mr. Quincy Jones has affirmed his support for the project! In a letter sent to the Mayor in January of 2018, Jones wrote warmly of Bremerton and gave his full backing to the project.

Community support for the project continues to build after a successful and well attended public meetings, and the Kitsap Sun published an article in support of the project.

There is now a website for Quincy Square; you can find information about upcoming events, get behind the scenes looks at the evolution of Quincy Square, and explore the connection between Quincy Jones and Bremerton. Visit at https://www.quincy-square.com/.

SCHEDULE

The City began design of Quincy Square in 2018. Design will be completed in 2022 along with required permitting. The project will go out to bid in late 2022 for construction in spring and summer of 2023.