Council votes ‘no’ on Freed House

The push to restore the historic Freed Farmhouse, one of the area’s oldest remaining structures and currently languishing by the side of 212th Avenue Southeast, received what could be a fatal blow Tuesday night, with the Sammamish City Council voting 4-3 against funding its relocation to the Lower Sammamish Commons.

The decision on whether or not to invest the $300,000 needed to relocate the house, and the additional funds that would be required for extensive renovations, is one that has troubled the council in recent months. In that time they have heard numerous submissions from area groups, particularly the Sammamish Heritage Society, pressing the case that with perhaps no other buildings of historical significance left in the city, Freed House presented an opportunity for the city to honor the area’s past.

Balancing that was the council’s desire to be fiscally responsible in these troubled economic times.

Councilor Nancy Whitten spoke regularly about her concern that the house could become a “black hole,” consuming funds in the future. She was one of a number of councillors who seemed not impressed by the efforts of the restoration proponents, who she had hoped would have done more to secure grant funding and financial contributions in past months.

Whitten, and councillors Lee Fellinge, Mark Cross, and Kathy Huckabay voted against including the Freed House relocation in the contract to build access and parking improvements at the Lower Sammamish Commons, a contract which was awarded to CDK Construction at a bid price of $662,974.32. The Freed House relocation would have added an additional $295,370.28 to the project cost, not including a construction contingency of $35,000.

Councillors Michele Petitti, Jack Barry, and Mayor Don Gerend voted to include the Freed House relocation.

But this may not be the end of the issue for the Sammamish history community.

Sammamish resident Doug Eglington, who amongst other things works for the King County business relations and economic development office, and whose work includes assisting cities in the region manage their historical assets and infrastructure, said that there is still a glimmer of hope for the house.

“The council vote was disappointing, but like everything that happens, there is good and bad,” he said, adding that he felt the decision was “somewhat short-sighted.”

“What is exciting and encouraging is the pledges the heritage society received, and the commitment of those who stepped forward to do volunteer work (on the restoration),” he said.

Eglington said that while a successful restoration would be “more problematic” without council support, it would not be impossible.

Gerend said that he did not feel that there were “many doors left open” for the Freed House restoration.

He said that councillors had raised the idea of perhaps salvaging some items from the house, as historical artifacts.

Contact Sammamish Reporter Editor Jake Lynch at editor@sammamish-reporter.com.

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