Fort Worden is a centerpiece of our community, and a place we all love for the natural beauty and hiking trails, the community events, and the many beloved organizations housed there. Yet behind all that activity is a workforce where many are struggling to put down roots and find a place to live. The park and PDA are working with the City and community to make a dent in our housing challenge by creating stable housing options for their staff.
The vision is simple. Take a wing in an old barracks building and create year-round housing that can house seasonal staff in the high season and artist residencies and researchers in the winter months. In 2018, Fort Worden applied for and received a public infrastructure grant from Jefferson County that would allow them to remodel the west wing of Building 203. Once completed, the project would create 14 units, each with a private bedroom and shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.
Keeping within the historic preservation requirements will demand additional time and money, and the PDA is about halfway to their fundraising goal to make these units a reality. Having these units readily available will ensure they have a stable staff during a critical season and will alleviate pressure on the rest of the already-overtaxed housing market in Jefferson County.
If you want to learn more or support the effort, contact Lane DeCamp at ldecamp@fortwordenfoundation.org
