Demolition began early Monday on Mountlake Terrace’s landmark Roger’s Market Place, 23120 56th Ave. W., a community fixture for decades and one of the last representatives of the vanishing breed of local, independently-owned supermarkets.
A few local residents gathered to witness the show, with several kids (accompanied by parents) allowed to skip school for the day to view the event. They were joined by MLT City Councilmembers Seaun Richards and Steve Woodard, and Daniel Chun, representing Bellevue-based 21320 56th Ave LLC, the current property owners.
Closed for several years, the fate of Roger’s has been uncertain. First sold in 2016 to developer Alan Clark, the property was sold again last year to 21320 56thAve LLC. The new owner is currently in the process of planning future development of the property.
As previously reported, Sound Transit has struck an agreement with the owners to use the site as interim parking during construction of the Lynnwood Light Rail Link extension. The parking is needed because construction activity will temporarily eliminate parking at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center at 236 Street Southwest and Interstate 5. Once building demolition is complete, Sound Transit plans to pave the lot and re-stripe it for use as an interim parking lot, replacing the 220 spaces lost when the transit center’s current surface parking lot is turned into a construction staging area.
Eventually, Sound Transit will build a temporary parking lot on 59th Avenue West – adjacent to the current transit center – which will replace the displaced surface parking stalls unavailable during light rail construction and will also include a temporary bus loop. Sound Transit officials told the Mountlake Terrace City Council in mid-January they were still working to purchase properties on 59th Place West. Once that lot is ready, Sound Transit will no longer use the Roger’s site and it will revert to the developer.
According to Sound Transit’s Mike Lawrence, demolition and subsequent site clearing will continue for “two or three weeks.” He confirmed that salvageable materials, metals and other recyclables will be separated and removed from the waste stream.
— Story and photos by Larry Vogel
I knew it was coming, but still was kind of a shock to drive past and see this today. I started grocery shopping there when this was a Lucky’s store, back in 1974! But, it was as Roger’s Marketplace that it truly took up a corner of my heart. The people who worked there were the best–Darcy, David, and all the rest. I sure miss you all!