Former Melody Hill Elementary buildings to be razed later this year

The former Melody Hill Elemetary School property.
The former Melody Hill Elemetary School property.

Story and photos by Doug Petrowski

The buildings that make up the former Melody Hill Elementary School in Mountlake Terrace will be razed later this year, according to an Edmonds School District spokeperson.

“No dates have been finalized, but demolition will occur in the fall,” Amanda Ralston, the district’s Web Content and Community Relations Specialist, said on Thursday.

District officials have been planning on closing down and razing the Melody Hill buildings, located at 6205-222nd Street Southwest, for years; no district classes have been conducted at the site since the1990s. The four current tenants of the building — two day care centers, a preschool and a church — were notified last year that their leases would not be renewed after Aug. 31, 2013.

King’s Temple Daycare has been operating in the Melody Hill neighborhood for 37 years, but will be moving out of the facility, and out of the city, this summer. “We wish we were staying in Mountlake Terrace,” said Director Kath Bellin. “We’re really sad we’re moving out, but it is what it is.”

Bellin has no hard feelings toward the school district for their decision to demolish the buildings at the Melody Hill site. “The district has been really good to us,” she stressed.

Cornerstone Early Learning Center Director Samantha Sciacca and her six-month-old daughter Lilly in the front office area of the day care.
Cornerstone Early Learning Center Director Samantha Sciacca and her six-month-old daughter Lilly in the front office area of the day care.

The other day care center operating out of the former school, Cornerstone Early Learning Center, has been there 22 years, but will also be relocating outside of Mountlake Terrace come fall. “We’ve known for a couple years that this place was on the chopping block,” said Director Samantha Sciacca.

A new home won’t be the only change for Cornerstone; with the move this fall Sciacca and her husband will be purchasing the business and changing its name to Mini-Einsteins’ Learning Center. Sciacca hasn’t decided on a final site for the center as of yet, but has narrowed it down to three locations; the former Woodway Elementary School in Edmonds, and two sites on 196th Street Southwest in Lynnwood.

Mountlake Terrace Co-op Preschool has settled on its new location. The preschool will be moving to space in the old Woodway Elementary prior to the start of the 2013-2014 school year.

The Edmonds School District hasn’t announced any plans for the 5.9-acre site beyond demolition of the current buildings. The property has been mentioned by Sound Transit as a site for a possible station for the Lynnwood light rail link scheduled to open in 2023. City of Mountlake Terrace officials have had their eyes on the property for possible commercial development for years.

  1. Mountlake Terrace Co-op Preschool has been in the city for 50 years – we’re so sad to have to move out of MLT but couldn’t find a space in the city to rent. Once we (and West Edmonds Co-op Preschool, also in the Melody Hill building) move out, there won’t be a co-op alternative for preschool in Mountlake Terrace.

  2. I went there from 2nd grade through 6th grade back in the 1970’s… I would like to take one more trip through memory lane before it get’s razed… Fun fact for me, Waaaay back, before it was built (I was told by my Dad), my DAD’s Uncle use to own that property, from where I-5 is, all the way to 66th Street, West from there… Sold it for cheap I was told…

  3. I too would like to go back one more time. I went to kindergarten through 3rd grade there in the mid-60’s. Lots of fun, still remember the names of some friends. I remember going to see Abbot and Costello and Jerry Lewis movies in the gym on the weekends. We moved out of MLT over to Edmonds when I started 4th grade. Anyone remember Mrs. Schurr?

    1. I remember the name. I went there in 68, 69, 70. Had Mrs Potter, Mrs. panioutoo(sp), and Mr. cocanna was the principle. My mom was PTA president back then. And she was the walking guard over the bridge for the kids.. Because I 5 was being put in. I lived on the corner of 66th. Down the hill from Melody Hill
      I was taught to ride a bike in the school lot by the way. And I’m now turning 57 in a few weeks. All the memories.

  4. I for one fought the current council to not change the zoning that signaled MLT Co-op to move and saw first hand how our city’s leaders closed their ears to reason. Thank goodness we leaders there had the forethought to hold auctions to raise moving money years ago. So sad to see it leave Mountlake Terrace. That level of education can’t be replaced locally.

  5. I am a local daycare provider at Little Blessings Daycare; 3 blocks down the road from the old Melody Hill building/Cornerstone. I know that there will be many families in need of childcare for their little one. I would love to have you drop-in for a look at our in-home daycare. Contact Sheri at 425.776.7377. Best regards!

  6. I went to melody hill from kindergarten till middle of 3rd grade 1970 – 73/74
    I still have class pictures of them too.
    I remember some kids only first names tho, the class picture has no names only the school and teachers. Like to say hi to all.

  7. I also went to school here, from first grade thru sixth grade. Around 1959-1964. We then moved to Edmonds. Lived on 64 st. Had a great childhood there.

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