Somerset House Demolition Begins Saturday Morning

BELLEVUE, WA — Demolition work will get underway this weekend to remove a house that was swept from its foundation during a landslide in Bellevue's Somerset neighborhood last month. The structure has since been deemed an "imminently dangerous hazard."

Demolition preparations began last week after the city secured an agreement with the family who owns the home. Five neighboring homes remain red-tagged, with families unable to return until the house is removed and the site is stabilized, which is expected to be complete by early March.

The Jan. 17 landslide followed a major water main break, that prompted mandatory evacuations for more than a dozen families. A multi-agency investigation into the cause of both incidents is expected to take several months.

According to a news release, the demolition will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday along 139th Place Southeast. The homes impacted by the work will continue to be inaccessible until the project wraps up, and the city said the site will be secure and monitored while work continues.

Demolition timeline:

• Feb. 10: Preparation of the site began.
• Feb. 14 - 18: Roadway cleanup, site protection and equipment mobilization.
• Feb. 19 - 25: Likely demolition dates and processing of debris.
• Feb. 28 - March 3: Site stabilization, cleanup and demobilization.