Olympic College Breaks Ground on $34M Tech Hub This Fall

A community college in Bremerton, Washington is turning an ordinary parking lot into an extraordinary opportunity for students seeking careers in technology.

Olympic College secured $34.5 million in state funding to build a brand new Innovation & Technology Center on its Bremerton campus. Construction starts this fall on the two-story, 31,864-square-foot facility that will house cutting-edge programs in computer science, cybersecurity, digital media arts, and more.

The building will rise on Lot 12, a grass and asphalt space between 14th and 15th Streets along Ohio Avenue. It's the same spot where the college's theater once stood before moving to a new location in 2018.

"We're funded and we'll be breaking ground this coming fall," said Shawn Devine, the college's chief communications officer. The doors open to students in June 2028.

The new center will serve 258 students at peak capacity and employ 23 faculty and staff members. Programs include computer information systems, computer science, cybersecurity, digital media arts, and hands-on makerspaces where students can bring their ideas to life.

The timing couldn't be better. Technology jobs continue growing nationwide, and this region needs trained professionals to fill those positions. Currently, most computer science classes squeeze into Building 12, which houses the business and information technology divisions.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about one building or one college. The new tech center represents an investment in an entire community's economic future.

Washington State recognized this potential by including Olympic College in the 2025-27 biennium capital funding budget through the State Board for Community & Technical Colleges. The college first identified the need for a centralized innovation and technology building back in 2013 during a campus master plan update.

The project shows how accessible education in high-demand fields can be. Community colleges offer affordable pathways to well-paying careers, and this new facility will give students the modern spaces and equipment they need to compete in the tech industry.

Local artist Matthew Olds will add a creative touch to the finished building with a mural or sculpture. Even the details reflect the community-focused mission behind this project.

By 2028, what's now just parking spaces will welcome hundreds of students learning skills that could change their lives and strengthen the local economy for decades to come.