The final demolition project for the City of Sequim’s Civic Center is set to begin next week.

Sequim City Manager Steve Burkett said the city finalized the purchase of Steven and Peggy Sutherland’s former house at 191 W. Spruce St. last week to serve as a parking lot, an exit for Clallam Transit buses and an emergency exit for the Sequim Police Department from the $16 million Civic Center.

The deal went through at $89,500 after the bank waited two years to make a decision on the sale due to a discrepancy between the sale price and what the Sutherlands owed.

Burkett said the Sutherlands’ bank loaned them $140,000, but the lending institution does not plan to pursue the couple for the difference in sale and loan prices. City Attorney Craig Ritchie previously said the Sutherlands’ bank could either close the deal with the city or seek to negotiate a higher price.

The sale was pushed forward on June 9 when Sequim city councilors voted unanimously to enforce a short sale with eminent domain on the house.

Ritchie said the eminent domain was the city’s last resort in order to speed up the process.

City officials feared if the home’s sale did not go through it could delay and add to the expenses.

Burkett said they previously estimated the additional cost could be as much as $25,000, but it will cost $14,000 to demolish the house. Lydig Construction will begin taking the home down next week and tentatively, starting this week, remove hazardous materials first, he said.