Demolition has begun at the old Sunny Terrace Elementary School

Demolition has begun at the old Sunny Terrace Elementary School, located at 1010 South 146th Street in Burien’s Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA). Built in/around 1960 and closed as a school in 1976, NAVOS had occupied the site from 1979 to Oct. 2012 before moving to its new facility at SW 136th Street and Ambaum Boulevard SW. The city purchased the approximately 2.5 acre site from the Highline School District several years ago for $2.3 million. The site is within the NERA boundaries, which spans an area from South 138th Street to South 152nd Street between 8th Ave South and Des Moines Memorial Drive South. According to the city, the purchase and demolition of the school will serve two purposes:

1. “To assemble and consolidate ownership of large parcels in the NERA to facilitate large scale redevelopment.
2. “To use a small portion of the site, approximately 3/4 of an acre, for a regional storm water facility that will have the capacity to serve approximately 40 acres in the NERA.”

This parcel was the largest non-City, non-Port owned parcel remaining in the center of the redevelopment area. Because it is next to the airport, the city and Port want to develop the area with warehouses and other airport-related industrial uses. Burien officials have also suggested new car dealerships along First Avenue South could move to an auto mall along Des Moines Drive. As stated in the 2010 “NERA: Redevelopment Plan and Implementation Strategy” report, the primary Vision and overall goal of NERA is:

“Through strategic, incremental redevelopment over time, the NERA in Burien will transform into an area of viable and sustainable airport compatible land uses. The redevelopment plan and implementation strategy will be responsive to regional market and economic realities, adaptable to the physical and environmental development capacity of the land, respectful of the need for appropriate transitions with adjacent land uses, and consistent with the community’s desires for the area.”

Here are some photos of the demolition – showing some severe “hard pruning” of at least three large trees – taken Friday, April 18 by Scott Schaefer – click images to see larger versions/slideshow: ]]>