The Port of Bremerton says it plans to modernize the Bremerton National Airport’s Airport Diner in 2020.

According to Port officials, the renovation will offer a greater dining experience, be energy efficient, incorporate outdoor seating, include a meeting room and allow a better workflow for improved operations.

Built in 1981, the Port of Bremerton purchased the building in 1986. Over the years, the Port has made improvements and repairs in a timely manner, but a detailed building assessment in 2018 proved it to be significantly more cost-effective to redesign and rebuild the diner than to move forward with continued maintenance of the building, according to a Port news release.

Owners Tom and Kathy Dacy have decided to discontinue their business after the remodel, according to an Airport Diner Facebook post. Completion of the diner is expected six months after the start of construction, which is expected to begin in January.

“The combination of being out of business for 7-8 months and the expenses of starting the business back up are too much of a financial hill for our family to climb,” the post stated. “We will be happy to see you until January and will miss you when we’re gone.”

“We completely respect their final decision on this,” Port of Bremerton CEO Jim Rothlin said.

“We appreciate their years of service as one of the many restaurants that have occupied the restaurant since it was built and we encourage everyone to continue to support the diner.”

“The Airport Diner is something that is advertised in-flight magazines and we have planes that fly in from all over the country just to have lunch there,” Port of Bremerton Commissioner Axel Strakeljahn said. “It’s our intention to continue to provide that diner and that service to the community.”

The Airport Diner’s last day in business before construction begins will be New Year’s Eve.