Benton County agrees to buy old Kennewick fire station. Here’s why
Benton County is buying a decommissioned fire station from the city of Kennewick to further expand its campus near Columbia Center.
County commissioners authorized a sale agreement this week for $1.13 million, the assessed value.
County Administrator Jerrod MacPherson said they’re mostly interested in the old Fire Station 3 property because it’s on the same block as the Benton County Justice Center.
The 3-acre property is behind Target, at the corner of Belfair Street and Quinault Avenue.
“It is bordered on all sides by Benton County Justice Center campus property and, in our minds, it made the most sense to ultimately have the property included with the overall campus property for possible future expansion,” he wrote in an email.
MacPherson said it’s in decent condition.
“We don’t have any plans at this point to expand, but as the county grows over the next few years we are ultimately going to need the space and with it being recently vacated by the city of Kennewick we didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to acquire it,” he wrote.
The county plans to eventually demolish the old 5,800-square-foot station. It was built in 1978 to protect the businesses and neighborhoods around Columbia Center Boulevard, but was replaced by a new Vista Field station last year at 7009 W. Grandridge Blvd.
The station has been a drain on city resources, including issues with the roof, doors and plumbing.
Kennewick approved a request to surplus the property in July.
“We got a great life out of it, but it was time to replace it,” said Kennewick Fire Chief Chad Michael.
The new station in Vista Field will serve that area of town for about 50 to 60 years.
