Kennewick favors demolishing aging city hall. But what about the museum?
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- Council agreed it wants to demolish city hall and build at 210 W. 6th Ave.
- Demolish-and-build plan would displace about 75 city hall employees for two years.
- Council remains undecided whether the 1982 Museum at Keewaydin should be attached.
Kennewick plans to demolish its dilapidated city hall and construct a new building at the same site.
During a 2-hour study session this week with staff from Architects West, the city council ruled out options for remodeling the current city hall or building at another nearby spot.
But the most significant challenge with the demo-and-build plan will be relocating its 75 city hall employees to temporary working spaces during the two-year construction period.
Architects West staff are expected to come back to the council with a breakdown of what that could cost on top of the estimate for a new city hall.
Kennewick’s city hall is decrepit and nearing a breaking point, city leaders have said. City Manager Erin Erdman on Tuesday called the project and civic campus planning “one of the most significant long-term planning decisions our community will make.”
“These decisions aren’t just for today’s residents, but they’re decisions that will shape the next 50+ years for the city,” she said.
The city council was drawn to the decision to start from scratch at its current address at 210 W. Sixth Ave. because it’s centrally located on the civic campus, and it’s across the street from the police station. Also, demolition and rebuilding on the same site would be efficient, would offer a longer-term solution and be cost-effective.
Still up in the air, however, is the future of the current Museum at Keewaydin building, which opened in 1982.
In response to community concerns about the future and history of the museum building, Erdman emphasized this week there was never a plan to “take away the museum.”
Marcus Valentine, principal architect with Architects West, said there will be future discussions with museum staff about programming needs as those decisions come down the line.
City council gave no clear preference between two options to demo and build new. Option 1A would require demolition of the 9,000-square-foot museum in exchange for 3,500 feet in the new city hall, while Option 1B would modify city hall’s shape and keep the museum as is.
Keewaydin museum top of mind for council
Still, the museum remained top of mind for many council members, who discussed the benefits and drawbacks of incorporating it into the new city hall. Some believe it could drive more foot traffic or provide an easily accessible community space, while others felt the space should remain a place of business.
Councilmen Chuck Torelli said city hall has always been a “utility” where people go to pay bills and consult with staff. He voiced support for a plan that would build a new city hall on the corner of 6th Avenue and Auburn Street, and said a future community center or museum could be funded through bonds and located in the center of the campus.
“Coming to city hall as my Saturday? I just don’t see it,” he said.
Councilman Loren Anderson said more visitors would be able to experience the museum if it was inside city hall. Just 771 unique visitors have been to the Museum at Keewaydin in the last two years, he said.
“I like the idea that more people will have the chance to see it because there will be more activity in city hall than is currently at the museum,” he said.
Councilman John Trumbo said he was “just not happy with anything” he saw proposed, and said he felt the museum was being shorthanded in these discussions.
“We’ve gotta eventually have the conversation, and we haven’t had it in-depth enough, about the museum,” said Councilman Brad Beauchamp, who said adding a museum inside city hall wouldn’t be the “right fit.”
“I don’t want to discount it, but we’re spending a lot of time on a museum. We’ve got a $40 million building to build, and we’re talking about a kitchen — in reality, that size,” Beauchamp continued.
Mayor Jason McShane reiterated his desire to draft a civic campus master plan so future use of the space is determined for future generations. He feels the city council has “punted” for decades on giving the campus a proper plan.
“A failure to plan is a plan for failure,” he said, quoting Benjamin Franklin.
Councilman Brad Klippert was the sole elected official who declined to weigh in on concepts. He said he just couldn’t make a decision without seeing price tags.
“I can’t say one way or another until I hear the numbers,” he said. “If the citizens are going to save a ton of money by refurbishing this building, then I want to save a ton of money for the citizens. But if it’s not a ton of money that they’re going to say, then I’d love to go with one of the options. I need to see the numbers.”
