Kirkland officials have agreed to buy a building and property owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Kingsgate neighborhood for $10 million. That is $2.7 million more than the asking price set in March, but the church agreed to sell the property specifically to the city despite several offers exceeding $10 million.
The deal involves a 3.28-acre site with approximately 15,600 square feet of indoor space at 13220 N.E. 132nd St. According to Lynn Zwaagstra, director of Kirkland’s Parks and Community Services Department, numerous developers expressed interest in the property, but the church preferred to preserve its community use.
Kingsgate has historically developed without sufficient public investment or a full-service community center. Although residents use Northshore School District facilities, the King County Library System branch and King County Metro buses, the neighborhood has not had a single place for classes, meetings and social programs.
The city plans to make few changes to the building: It already includes gyms, small classrooms and spacious rooms suitable for arts, music, preschool and sports programs. Before opening the center, officials plan to study residents’ needs, consult with the community and compare the future services with those offered at the city’s two existing community centers to avoid duplicating their work. Programs for teenagers, older adults, families and people with disabilities could receive priority.
Part of the property may also be considered for affordable housing. Kingsgate is regarded as one of Kirkland’s less affluent and historically underserved neighborhoods.
The exact opening date for the community center is not yet known. However, immediately after the transaction is completed, the city wants to open a large field to residents, where children can play for free. This will be especially important for families at the nearby Kirkland Heights apartment complex, where 276 affordable units were recently added after a renovation, many of them occupied by children.
The new center should ease pressure on the city’s two other community centers, which already lack space for classes and sports activities. The deal also reflects a broader trend: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has put at least six properties in the Seattle area up for sale — in South Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Redmond, Auburn and Kirkland. Most are already under contract; a married couple purchased the former Redmond church for $5.05 million and plans to turn it into a place of worship for another spiritual tradition.
The sale of several buildings is linked to the church’s efforts to optimize its real estate holdings, changes in membership and maintenance costs, and a reassessment of how local meetinghouses are used. It comes amid declining attendance at religious services across the state.
At the same time, the church intends to build its seventh temple in Washington, likely in Marysville, although the location and construction timeline have not been announced. A temple is a special religious structure used for sacred rites and does not replace ordinary meetinghouses, where regular worship services and local gatherings take place. Construction of a new temple can therefore continue independently of the sale of less-used properties.
Based on: Kirkland buys former Latter-day Saints church for $10M