The City of Burien initiated an effort in 2019 to evaluate potential improvements to the Burien Community Center Annex buildings because the Burien City Council had directed staff to evaluate options for another community center building. Because of the age of the facility, and known issues with the building condition, the City hired an engineering consultant to evaluate whether the building could feasibly be turned into a modern community center.
The City contracted with MENG Analysis to perform a detailed building condition assessment. This included a review of the civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The resulting report issued in December 2019 showed that the building’s condition was critical, meaning the ratio between the facility’s backlog of maintenance and repair to the current replacement value of the facility was very high. A rating of excellent begins at 0 percent and a rating of critical ends at 26 percent. The North Annex was rated at 26 percent and the South Annex was rated at 27 percent.
In December 2019, the Council made the decision to close the Annex by the end of January. In January, the new Council extended the closure to July 31, 2020 and authorized the City to spend up to $25,000 to address immediate health risks at the Annex. That work was completed in March 2020. In May 2020, the Council made the decision to demolish the building upon closure.
The City advertised for bids in June and awarded a contract to Construction Group International (CGI) in July. The work is estimated to occur between August and October. After demolition of the buildings, the northern part of the site will be graded and seeded. The fence will remain in place after demolition until the grass matures, which will likely be spring 2021. The entire park should be open next summer.
At a future date, City staff will conduct a community engagement process to evaluate and prioritize the ultimate use of this park property. In addition, the City will re-evaluate the types of services needed in the community and the necessary facilities to provide those services. That process will determine if those needs could be addressed at the Annex site, at an alternative location, or through other types of partnerships.
For more information about this project, please visit burienwa.gov/annexdemo.
The Magic that Happened Here: Annex Story Project
The Highline Heritage Museum and City of Burien are launching a project to gather the rich history that occurred over the last 80 years in the building known as Chelsea Park Elementary School, Highline Community Center, Burien Community Center, and the Burien Annex. The building at 14549 4th Ave SW will be gone, but the wonderful memories will remain. Help us collect these memories through stories, images, and artifacts.
Here is how you can help: Share your story, photos, and small artifacts with the Highline Heritage Museum at info@highlinehistory.org.
