Meet the Teens Who Are Trying To Save the Old Fire House
A protestor outside of Redmond City Hall with a sign that reads, “Don’t Take 33 Years Of History”. Photo by Iam McCrone via SaveOFH.com.
July 8, 2025
By Madeline Virginia
Noah, Connor, and Chester all heard about the Old Fire House Teen Center closing in different ways.
Connor was at the Fire House for a concert when they got handed a flyer. Noah had dropped in to hang out when somebody told him. Chester got a text message about a mysterious meeting the following day.
It was sudden and confusing. In a matter of weeks, nobody could access the building anymore, and services had been moved to other locations in Redmond. “That place in a literal sense changed and saved lives,” Chester told Redmond Moments, “The Fire House is a promise: no matter who or what you are, you can come here and be safe. And it’s really heartbreaking to see the City break that promise.”
A group protests the closure of the Old Fire House Teen Center at Redmond City Hall. Photo via @SaveOFH Instagram account.
Now, the three teens are part of a group called Save OFH, a community effort to reopen the historic building that held legendary concerts, classes, and even had a garden patch out back. The group has a petition with thousands of signatures, and some demands for the City of Redmond and City Council, which include a call for more transparency, a right to fundraise to repair the building, and preservation of the historic lot in perpetuity.
In 2024, many parts of the Old Fire House scored poorly during an inspection. In an April City Council meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Loreen Hamilton cited the need for a full structural assessment as the reason for the sudden closure. She added, “I cannot guarantee safety as we do this process.”
Since then, the City has been collecting feedback from the community through questionnaires and in-person events. The results, however, won’t be available until September 9th.
Even with the outreach efforts, being asked for feedback after the closure left the teens feeling frustrated and excluded from the process. “It really feels like we’re being heard, but not listened to,” Noah said, “And no matter what we say or what we do… they’re just going to keep ignoring us for as long as they can.”
Chester added, “It really does feel like we’re just talking to a brick wall with a smiley face painted on it.”
A handmade protest sign that reads “Our Teens Need The Old Fire House” in pink letters. Photo by Iam McCrone via SaveOFH.com.
The City is continuing classes, concerts, and drop-in services at different sites in Redmond, like the Community Center at Marymoor Village. However, the Save OFH group describes having trouble with the replacement spaces.
“I’ve only been to the Marymoor facility twice, and both times I debated even going in,” Connor said, “The first time was for our first official concert there. Which was in like… the saddest lecture hall.”
The concert space at the Old Fire House Teen Center. Photo via @SaveOFH Instagram account.
The performance space at a lecture hall at the Community Center at Marymoor Village. Photo via @SaveOFH Instagram account.
Since the Community Center at Marymoor Village is a building shared with all age groups, including adults and seniors, there is also a sense of vulnerability. Connor described the feeling, saying, “When I went to that first show, I reconsidered what I was going to wear because I did not feel comfortable dressing up how I wanted to.”
The Old Fire House is known for being a home to groups that don’t necessarily conform to societal norms, most famously the punk music scene of the 90’s. Noah pointed out, “A big reason why the Fire House is so popular is because it’s for very alternative communities, including LGBTQ people, which [the City] has stated they support.”
The history is part of what makes the Fire House so cherished by the teens that use it. “The building itself has so much character,” Chester said, “The building didn’t have to be perfect, and that meant I didn’t have to be either.”
Chester acknowledged that saving the Old Fire House will be a long-haul process. “We all know that we are probably not going to see the fruits of this labor,” he said, “But I think it really speaks volumes to the character of everyone in the group, that they’re putting in this work so that kids in the future will get to have a real Fire House experience.”
The full structural assessment of the Old Fire House Teen Center will be released on July 22nd in a City Council Study Session, and it will contain much of the information needed for the City to determine next steps. Hamilton confirmed in the April 22nd City Council meeting that the assessment would include a best/worst case scenario breakdown, and a cost estimate of full building demolition versus full repair.
The final chance for the community to give in-person feedback before the analysis process begins is at Redmond Derby Days on July 11th and 12th.
Do you have stories or photos from your experiences at the Old Fire House?
Send them into redmondmoments@gmail.com
