KINGSTON — After sitting as a vacant lot for nearly 10 years, the former Kingston Inn site at State Route 104 and Washington Boulevard will be turned into public open space under the management of the Port of Kingston.

Port Manager Kori Henry said the Kitsap Community Foundation gifted the .35-acre lot to the port district on behalf of an anonymous donor.

“This donor has expressed their love for Kingston by preserving this property as public space with views of Puget Sound and Mount Rainier, and we’re honored to be the custodian,” Henry said in a email.

The lot, valued at $485,000, has been vacant since the Kingston Inn restaurant burned down in 2005.

The property was bought in 2007 for $550,000, and its current owners are Moga Properties LLC, according to the Kitsap County Assessor’s office.

Henry said she knew the lot had been for sale for a long time, but was not expecting the donation. The port entered into a memorandum of understanding with the foundation to use the space as a park.

Henry said she expects the port will host a public comment period this fall, maybe in September, to find out how the public wants to use the space, perhaps with picnic benches or other amenities. Henry said the port district will also work on a design for the layout, and in March apply for a state Recreation and Conservation Office grant.

In the meantime, the port will clear out gravel and brush and plant grass.