Redmond officials order assessments, move teen programs after safety concerns close Old Firehouse Teen Center

Redmond City Council studied the future of the Old Firehouse Teen Center on April 22, after city parks staff moved most teen programs to the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village citing building deterioration and hazardous materials. Parks and Recreation Director Lorraine Hamilton told the council the city has not made a final decision on the property and will return with engineer and hazardous‑materials assessments this summer.

The move follows years of maintenance and earlier facility condition assessments that flagged the building as “poor.” Hamilton said the city closed teen programs at the Old Firehouse because staff determined it could no longer be safely maintained while required disruptive investigations and abatements continued.

The closure was intended to preserve continuity of services. Hamilton said staff shifted “the vast majority of the programs to the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village” to keep teen services running, expand space and accessibility, and reduce safety risks while the city studies the building. She told the council the RCCMV location has more staff coverage and ADA accessibility and that “next week, the furniture will be going into that space” as staff work with teens to customize it.

Why it matters: the Old Firehouse is a long‑used teen space with music, classes and drop‑in hours. The council and staff emphasized centering teen voice as they weigh options for the building’s…