Check-out time came early for Jefferson County Commissioner Greg Brotherton’s idea to buy Manresa Castle in Port Townsend.

Brotherton had floated the notion of a county purchase of the iconic landmark at the board of commissioners’ last meeting in May so the historic hotel could be used by government employees who could not find housing in the area.

The District 3 commissioner had suggested that a public purchase of the 41-unit hotel could also provide a living option for employees of other public entities, such as the hospital and city of Port Townsend. 

During Monday’s meeting of the board of commissioners, Brotherton said he met with representatives from Jefferson Healthcare and was told there was no interest in using Manresa Castle for employee housing.

He joked that his proposal needed a bit more time to cook before it could be put on the table.

“I wouldn’t call it a half-baked idea,” Brotherton said.

“I’d call it more like, ‘Oh, I’ve got some eggs and sugar in a bowl; maybe-this-looks-like-a-cake idea.’”

Hospital representatives said the living spaces within the hotel would be a bit cramped for their temporary doctors, and a little more walking-around space was needed, he recalled.

The hospital also looked at a potential purchase of the property the last time it was for sale and conducted a pretty significant analysis, he said. 

That review showed substantial costs for rewiring and other upgrades in the mansion, built in 1892.

Brotherton told his fellow commissioners that he talked to other officials inside and outside county government, and support for a county purchase of Manresa Castle was lacking.

“It does seem like too big of a risk for the benefit that it could supply,” he said.

Still, Brotherton said he liked the idea of securing congregate housing for local government workers. 

“I haven’t given up on the concept,” Brotherton said.

It does involve a fundamental cultural shift, however, from single-family home ownership or individual apartments to a kind of a boarding house approach, Brotherton added.

The commissioner said he would continue to explore the idea of a county purchase of property that could be used for employee housing, but elsewhere.

“I am going to go looking for those B&Bs,” he said.

“I won’t name any B&Bs to try to prevent any headline articles,” Brotherton added, “but there are several for sale right now.”

Starting smaller appeared to be a better approach, he said.

“I haven’t given up on the concept of us investing in workforce housing, specifically for the county,” Brotherton said.