Building 120 (located at 120 228th Ave NE) is an approximately 32,000 square-foot facility built in 2008, situated on a 22-acre parcel that includes known wetland areas. The City is evaluating whether this building can be feasibly and responsibly reused for community or public purposes. The building appears to be in good condition, but questions remain about its structural condition, code compliance, site constraints, and alignment with modern environmental and zoning requirements.
Project Budget and Timeline
The City has allocated $300,000 in the 2025–2026 biennial General Fund to support this project. These funds are intended to cover all consultant costs, including technical studies, community engagement, and feasibility planning, as well as any associated project administration expenses.
The project is expected to begin in early 2026 and conclude by the Fall of 2026. Work will be completed in three phases, with City Council approval required at the end of each phase before proceeding. The City may elect to conclude the project at any phase checkpoint based on findings and Council direction.
SCOPE OF WORK
The City of Sammamish is seeking a qualified consultant team to support a multi-phase planning effort for Building 120, (formerly leased to Central Washington University) that the City is evaluating for potential public and community use. The project will begin with a technical assessment of the building and site to determine whether the facility is safe, code-compliant, and operationally feasible for public access. If barriers to expanded or community use are identified, the assessment should include high-level cost estimates and a summary of what it would take to bring the facility into compliance.
If the initial findings support further consideration, subsequent phases will include targeted community engagement focused on realistic, site-appropriate uses, and the development of a comprehensive feasibility study. This study will include conceptual programming, capital needs, operational considerations, and potential funding and phasing strategies. If the findings do not support continued use of the building, community engagement will instead focus on future opportunities for the site as a whole — including the potential removal of the building — and will result in a high-level site concept plan.
The work will be completed in three distinct phases, each ending with a City Council checkpoint. Council approval will be required before proceeding to the next phase, and the City may elect to conclude the project at any of these decision points based on findings or direction.
The Consultant may perform the following:
Phase 1 – Building and Site Evaluation: This phase focuses on determining whether Building 120 is physically and operationally suitable for community programming. It includes an in-depth assessment of the facility’s condition, safety compliance, and environmental constraints.
- Structural and seismic assessment
- Fire/life safety and accessibility (ADA) code review
- General building condition review – including Clean Building Performance Standards recommendations and cost estimates
- Updated wetland delineation and buffer analysis
- Topographic and preliminary geotechnical review
- Zoning and infrastructure analysis (parking, utilities, access)
- Summary of findings, including whether the building can be responsibly used for public/community purposes
- Deliverable: Technical memo summarizing all findings and a recommendation on whether to proceed
- Council Checkpoint #1: Council review and direction before proceeding to Phase 2
Phase 2 – Community Engagement (if approved): If Phase 1 findings support continued exploration of the building’s use, this phase will gather targeted community input to help shape realistic, site-appropriate options for future programming. Engagement will focus on feasible ideas that align with the building’s condition, site constraints, and operational considerations.
If the Phase 1 findings do not support building reuse, this phase will instead engage the community around future opportunities for the site itself — including the potential removal of the building — and will contribute to a high-level site concept plan.
The selected consultant team will collaborate with the City’s designated community engagement lead (or sub-consultant) to support planning, coordination, and participation in all engagement activities.
- Support the City’s community engagement lead in designing and implementing a plan focused on feasible, site-appropriate use concepts
- Co-facilitate or attend workshops, focus groups, surveys, or other outreach activities, with a focus on reaching Sammamish’s diverse community — especially those who may not typically engage with City processes
- Conduct a review of existing City community services to identify gaps and avoid duplication, helping to inform what types of programming or uses may be most appropriate for the site.
- Summarize input, identifying realistic opportunities aligned with building and site constraints
- Deliverable: Engagement summary report and recommended themes or use directions, including alternative site concepts if the building is not viable.
- Council Checkpoint #2: Council review of community input and direction to proceed to Phase 3
Phase 3 – Feasibility Plan & Final Report (if approved): In this final phase, the consultant will develop a feasibility plan that integrates findings from previous phases into a clear, actionable roadmap. If the building is determined to be of value and suitable for community programming, the plan will focus on conceptual reuse scenarios, operational needs, and long-term implementation strategies.
If the building is found not to be viable for reuse, the focus of this phase will shift to broader site planning and analysis of how the property could support community-oriented uses in the absence of the structure.
- Develop draft vision and goals for potential public/community use of the building or site
- Prepare conceptual use options, including site/program layouts for either building reuse or full site redevelopment
- Identify capital needs, operational requirements, and phasing options
- Outline preliminary costs and funding strategies
- Conduct a second round of engagement (as needed) to validate and refine concepts
- Deliverable: Comprehensive feasibility study and final presentation to Council, including recommendations for either building-based reuse or site redevelopment
- Council Checkpoint #3: Final review and decision on next steps
