Bremerton firm is key part of city’s re-birth

By ERIC D. WILLIAMS Kitsap Sun
December 28, 2005

BREMERTON — A suggestion from a friend led budding architect Steve Rice to start his career in Bremerton.

“I think if there was a good architect over here, the community would use it,” the friend told Rice.

“And we found that to be true.”

So began Bremerton-based architects Rice Fergus Miller. Started as a one-man operation in 1987 by Rice, the company quickly expanded to four employees, with David Fergus joining as a partner in 1990. The architectural firm soon outgrew its couple hundred square feet of office space on the penthouse floor of the Fourth Street building downtown.

Leaving the cramped confines, the two partners moved across the street to a building owned by longtime downtown property owners Bremer Trust.

They eventually bought the 7,200-square-foot building, and founder Rice, along with partners David Fergus and Mike Miller have steadily grown the business over the years, reaching a high of 25 employees. The company includes 19 architects, three interior designers and three administrative staff.

The firm has played an important role in the redevelopment of downtown Bremerton.

Since 2002, Rice Fergus Miller has experienced a 56 percent increase in staff size, from 16 to 25 people, and a 79 percent increase in net operating revenue.

“I’m really proud of Rice Fergus Miller,” Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman said. “They are the only architectural firm in downtown Bremerton. They hung in there during tough times and now they are seeing the benefit of that.”

Like the town it calls home, Rice Fergus Miller’s status has grown since downtown redevelopment took off. Rice says the company plans to stay true to its roots, and is looking for a larger facility in downtown Bremerton to relocate, accommodating the growth they expect. Rice said he wouldn’t be surprised if the company doubled to 50 employees in the next 10 years.

“There are practical considerations for being down here,” Fergus said. “But I think the biggest thing is we like the downtown area. If you’re running an architectural practice that’s where you should be. We don’t want to be in the outlying areas.”

The firm’s business is centered around fire and emergency services, senior living, health care and community facilities.