City Designates Historic District, Landmarks, Sets Leary Way Height Limit

REDMOND, WA-The City Council voted yesterday to preserve some of the city’s character. In a triple-whammy ordinance, the city placed historic landmark status on 16 properties, created an historic design district and set a height limit along Leary Way, one of the city’s oldest streets.

The historic landmark designation Downtown will enforce special design standards for new construction or renovation to reflect the area’s history. The historic landmark status essentially does the same thing to specific buildings all over the city, but also makes available property tax breaks and other incentives in exchange for the inconvenience. Finally, the height restriction limits construction along Leary Way to three stories, thereby maintaining the street’s historic integrity.

The properties receiving mandatory historic landmark designation include the former Lodge Hall on Leary Way, Anderson Park; the Bill Brown Saloon/Redmoor Corp. Bldg.; Brown’s Garage, Justice White House; Stone House; Oddfellows Hall/Edwardian Antiques; Perrigo House/Eagle Rim Clubhouse; Redmond Cemetery; Redmond Methodist Church; Redmond Bank/Brad Best Realty; Redmond Trading Company; Conrad Olson farmstead; Hutcheson homestead; Old Redmond Schoolhouse; and Haida House. A 17th property was removed from the list because most of the Council members thought the building was not structurally sound.