As farming starts to take a more visible role at the Greenbank Farm, officials are looking for more space to run additional programs.

To accomplish that they want another state-funded building constructed at the historic farm.

Port of Coupeville Executive Director Jim Patton said the proposed building will be approximately 10,000 square feet in size and will house space for a permanent indoor farmers market, learning center, public restrooms and office space.

Preliminary estimates indicate a new building at the port-owned farm could cost as much as $1.5 million. It would be built south of the tractor barn where the current playground is located.

Farm planners envision it as a training center for community supported agriculture and the farm needs classroom space to teach trainees. The indoor farmers market will expand the time the weekly market is offered. Currently it goes through the end of October and then picks up again next spring.

There is also a farmers’ market field that produces produce for the farm. In the coming months several acres of land will be devoted as farming space for a community supported agriculture project and there is talk of setting aside 10 acres of land for an orchard.

Patton said the new building will provide space for an agricultural and an environmental learning center. There are also plans for a commercial kitchen.

To pay for the new building, the Port of Coupeville will need funding from the legislature, which has already funded one building at the farm. Patton said he has already briefed local legislators about the plans and he hopes to have a proposal ready after the November election.

If grant money comes available to fund design and construction, the port would have to find some sort of matching money. Patton said he hopes the land, the potable water system and management of the building would act as an in-kind match for any grant the port may receive.

The port on Nov. 4 is asking voters to approve a levy increase to pay for the bond it’s paying for the Greenbank Farm and the fee paid to the Greenbank Farm Management Group. If the levy increase is approved it would bring in more money to the port, but Patton said the priority would be to get caught up on all of the maintenance projects that have been deferred because of money problems.