The decision by the Sammamish City Council last year not to fund the relocation of the historic Freed House to the Sammamish Commons ahead of a possible restoration left the building facing an uncertain future.

Currently languishing in disrepair by the side of 212th Avenue Southeast, the Sammamish Heritage Society had hoped the building could become a feature of the city’s proposed Town Center. The Freed house is listed on the King County Historic Resource Inventory.

However, it now appears certain that one of the few remaining historically significant buildings on the Plateau will be dismantled.

At the city council’s annual retreat held Jan. 21 to 23 at the Suncadia Lodge in Cle Elum, what to do with the Freed House, built by German immigrant Jacob D. Reard in the late 1890s, was one of the many items discussed.

According to the city’s own recap notes from the retreat, “given the current economic climate, moving the house is not an option.”

Deconstruction of the house was discussed, and “consensus was reached that the best solution is to dismantle the property and use the wood to create something new, such as a park bench or picnic shelter with a commemorative plaque attached.”

According to the retreat notes, the Arts Commission, the Finance Department, and the Parks and Recreation Department will come up with some suitable options for council’s consideration.