Architects to unveil Poulsbo city hall plans

POULSBO — Citizens of Poulsbo can catch their first glimpse of the city’s new headquarters tonight at 6 p.m.

Lewis Architecture, along with Poulsbo Mayor Kathryn Quade and city council members, will host an open house in Poulsbo’s city hall council chambers to display the progress made on plans for the local government’s new home.

The public is invited to attend, ask questions of the architects and city representatives and make comments.

The open house will focus on site layout, both how the structure will fit on the Third Avenue and Moe Street parcels and the interior layout. The first architectural steps, which include office space “programming,” will be available for view.

Quade said the open house will be an opportunity for people to see not the outer shell, but the “guts” of the new structure.

“I’m hoping that they’ll see how the building will fit on the two pieces of property and how we’re going to be housing staff,” she said.

Representatives from Lewis Architecture will make a more formal presentation to the city council at tonight’s 7 p.m. meeting.

Those who attend the open house will be able to find answers to questions, including how big the new building will be, its overall height and how it will fit in with the rest of downtown’s structures.

Different preliminary site layout ideas will give residents an idea of how the building will look and function.

City Planning Director Barry Berezowsky said initial planning for space allocated to parking, an entrance and foyer, plaza, council chambers and staff offices can all be seen.

He said the city is hoping to have the final “programming” completed later this month. Floor plans are on cue for March development and a final layout is expected to be drawn up in April. Construction could begin as early as September, he said.

The plans are for the two parcels at the corner of Third and Moe, one of which the city purchased last November. The other is aligned for purchase from the Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority (KCCHA) this spring. The KCCHA is acting as the city’s project manager throughout the new city hall development process.

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