Redmond council approves demolition contract for Old Firehouse teen center after heated public testimony

A majority of the Redmond City Council voted to approve the contract to demolish the Old Firehouse teen center, despite hours of public testimony asking the council to delay demolition until a clear rebuild plan and fuller community engagement are completed.

Council President Stewart opened the vote after an extended public-comment period that drew dozens of residents, teens and historic-preservation advocates. Wolfie Adriatico urged the council to "pull item number 26058 from the consent agenda pending further consideration," saying the city should "postpone the demolition ... and undergo the design phase concurrent with community engagement" (Wolfie Adriatico).

Speakers across the night described the Old Firehouse (often referred to as OFH) as an irreplaceable youth space. Onyx Griffiths asked why staff were seeking a $9 million renovation or a $12 million rebuild figure "if no building has been planned" and warned the city against demolishing the structure before completing a transparent plan. "If you want any remaining semblance of the people trusting this council ever again, do not proceed with this demolition," Griffiths told the council.

Council members pressed staff for the rationale for approving demolition now rather than waiting for a finished design. Aaron Bert, the city’s public works director, told the council staff intends to use a progressive design‑build approach for the replacement and that removing the existing structure would allow the design team to know subsurface and site conditions earlier, "which would save time and allow for proper planning." He said abatement work is scheduled to begin in May and demolition activities will follow.

Council members expressed a mix of views. Council Vice President Noea Camina acknowledged the building’s legacy and said replacement planning must "meaningfully center teen voices," but supported proceeding: "Supporting demolition where necessary and supporting accountability are not mutually exclusive." Council member Parsy, newly seated, voted no and repeatedly asked for clarity on potential downsides of delaying demolition, including construction windows and long-term schedule impacts.

After deliberation the council recorded the roll-call vote: the motion to approve the demolition contract passed six to one (Council member Parsy voted no). Council members who supported the motion said moving forward with abatement and demolition is linked to achieving an expedient rebuild on the same site and that progressive design‑build will involve teens in program decisions. Opponents and many public speakers said demolition is premature without an approved design, a full feasibility analysis, or a clear funding plan.

What happens next: city staff said abatement will begin in May (estimated three weeks) followed by demolition, while the city will pursue the progressive design‑build process intended to bring a replacement plan back to council. Several public speakers and community leaders said they will continue to press for a greater youth-led role in design and for transparency about cost estimates and alternatives to full demolition.

Actions and formal votes: The approval of item 26058 to proceed with the demolition contract was recorded by roll call as approved, 6–1.

Context: Testimony across the evening touched on several recurring concerns: the transparency and composition of the stakeholder group, the accuracy of the $9M/$12M figures circulated earlier, preservation versus rebuild tradeoffs, the short public notice before agenda actions, and potential tree loss on the site. Council members and staff said they will follow up with specific pledges about tree replacement requirements under city code and a youth-forward design process.

The decision completes a procedural step toward site clearance and enables the city to begin abatement work; community advocates and some council members said they will continue to push for a rebuild that preserves OFH’s spirit and amenities.