Everett School District Taking Bids For Demolition Of Longfellow Building

Received the following press release today from Everett School District.

At the July 3 school board meeting, the superintendent plans to present the award of bid for the demolition of the aging Longfellow building at 3715 Oakes Avenue in Everett. Fraught with outdated plumbing, wiring and without an elevator or required accessibility Longfellow would cost an estimated $9 million to repair and bring to code for public use.

In May 2017, after years of seeking viable buyers for the facility, the board of directors authorized demolition of the building and specified plans for preservation of its historical value in Resolution 1149. “We sought buyers with a proven track record of success with renovating buildings like Longfellow. To protect the public’s funds, we also specified potential buyers have enough financial resources to follow through with the building’s renovation and required plans compatible with the neighborhood and its current educational, and recreational use,” noted Superintendent Gary Cohn. “Very few interested buyers came forward, and none met those qualifications, although the Everett Museum of History was quite interested, until they notified the district they found a different location, more centrally located in downtown Everett.”

The district has spent approximately $155,000 to maintain Longfellow since it was vacated in 2013. That includes costs for lead abatement, security and energy costs to keep pipes from freezing in the winter and deter more mold and rot. Every penny spent on Longfellow is money we don’t have available for classrooms,” noted Facilities and Planning Executive Director Mike Gunn.

Once demolished, the site will provide more space for parking and access to Memorial Stadium where school teams practice and compete and where the Everett AquaSox play baseball. The district’s website tells the story of Longfellow and its transition since 1907, “This storied building and its annex served the students and community well for over a century. In that time, educational programs have changed, building safety and compliance codes have become more stringent, and the landscape around Longfellow has evolved into a sports and administrative complex, requiring more parking and pedestrian areas.”

The school district is 126 years old with several historic buildings preserved and used for education today. Everett High School Main Building, originally built in 1910, has undergone many modernizations and additions in the last 108 years and stands as a classic example of historic school preservation. The Little Theater at Everett High was originally a church built in 1924. The district acquired it and renovated it in 1987 and again in 2009. The Everett Civic Auditorium, enjoyed by the community and used by the district’s 26 schools for performances and ceremonies, was built in 1939 and most recently renovated in 2007. Sequoia High School was once a junior high school built in 1926. It is now home to the district’s alternative high school and Port Gardner Parent Partnership.

“When practical and cost-effective, the district has sought to save its older structures for educational purposes,” notes Cohn. “Longfellow’s condition, location and cost to modernize, make it impractical for educational purposes and unattractive to potential qualified buyers. The school board’s Resolution 1149 details how we can preserve its memory and significance even though its physical structure no longer has an educational purpose.”