Construction continues at Armin Jahr Elementary after permit delays
Published 1:30 am Friday, March 27, 2026
The construction of the new 60,000 square-foot, two-story Armin Jahr Elementary School in Bremerton, which has been delayed, is finally seeing movement. The project, which is part of the 2024 Bond Program, has completed a foundation, trenching work, and first-floor concrete, but there was an outstanding building permit with no confirmed issuance until the week of March 23.
The 25-year, $150 million bond was passed by Bremerton School District voters in February 2024. The new school building will hold 500 students with the addition of a 3,200 square-foot covered play structure, playfields, and a new playground.
Due to the delay, the project will not meet the originally anticipated completion date and move-in of December 2026. The new timeline is to be determined with a possibility of move-in during spring 2027.
Demobilization was in effect at the AJES site for most of March due to the lack of work that could be done from the delay in permits. On March 25, the City of Bremerton and BSD Superintendent Slade McSheehy shared that the building permits have been issued and vertical construction is beginning at Armin Jahr. The original permit issuance date for the school was Nov. 17, 2025, about four months later than originally planned.
On Nov. 10, 2025, CodePro, the City of Bremerton’s third‑party plan reviewer, notified the progressive design-build team that approval of the building permit would not be issued as previously represented. In response, the progressive design‑build team, consulting firm Consertus, and the City of Bremerton agreed to separate the foundation and building permits in an effort to minimize schedule and cost impacts.
Foundation‑only permit applications were submitted, and they were issued Dec. 5, 2025. Building permit resubmittals were uploaded to the City of Bremerton Nov. 19, 2025, but were not issued until late March 2026. The financial impact of the delays remains under evaluation.
“The permitting process has involved multiple rounds of technical review and response, resulting in permitting timelines for the elementary school projects extending beyond original expectations,” Mayor of Bremerton Greg Wheeler and Superintendent McSheehy said in a joint statement March 25. “The District and City are jointly committed to ensuring a thorough and compliant review process while also recognizing the importance of timely delivery of voter-approved projects. Student, staff, and visitor safety is our shared number one priority as we work to create high-quality learning environments that will serve Bremerton students and the community for decades to come.”
Demolition of the old AJES building began in the fall of 2025, and students have been learning in temporary, portable classrooms along Wheaton Way since.
