Redmond City Council Votes to Rebuild Teen Center

 

Redmond City Council Votes to Rebuild Teen Center

Community engagement will be conducted as the rebuilding project progresses to ensure that the community’s voice is heard and that the voices of teens guide the creation of a new teen center.

REDMOND, WA - At their regular business meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 18, Redmond City Council voted 6-0 to approve rebuilding a new teen center at the same location as the existing building, which closed in March. In their approval, Council included prioritizing expedience in construction, centering teen voices in the design process, and including music performance space and a dedicated recording studio to continue the Old Fire House Teen Center legacy. The decision was informed by the recommendation of the Old Fire House Teen Center Stakeholder Group.

The Council decision followed a robust, multi-round community engagement process that included online questionnaires, event tabling, listening sessions, workshops, and focus group meetings. Council also formed the Teen Services Subcommittee and joined six meetings with the Stakeholder Group to observe the process. The Stakeholder Group was facilitated by a communications and community engagement consultant contracted by the City and composed of members representing a range of backgrounds and perspectives, including teens, parents, service providers, commission representatives, and other community members.

The Old Fire House Teen Center closed in March 2025, and its programs were relocated to the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village. In 2024, a Facilities Condition Assessment was completed that identified several issues with the building's condition, including hazardous materials and structural concerns. As staff continued to investigate the building's issues in the months following the assessment, it became clear that the resources necessary to continue operating the building safely were unsustainable. Additional facility condition assessments were conducted in June - July 2025, finding additional issues, including a failing roof and building envelope.

More community engagement will be conducted as the rebuilding project progresses to ensure that the community’s voice is heard and that the voices of teens guide the creation of a new teen center. For more information about the Old Fire House and this process, visit redmond.gov/OFH.