Don Persson Renton Senior Activity Center reopening delayed
Published 12:30 pm Tuesday, August 4, 2026
The reopening of the Don Persson Renton Senior Activity Center in Renton is delayed until 2027.
At the July 27 Renton Committee of the Whole meeting, recreation manager Alex Lee and capital project coordinator Alisha Smothers presented an update on the improvements to the Don Persson Renton Senior Activity Center and the how operations are continuing while renovations are underway.
The center was closed on April 15 to “enhance comfort, safety, and the overall experience of the center” according to a previous press release from the city. While the original plan was for the center to reopen in September of this year, Smothers said the project will now close out in January, 2027.
“Unfortunately, we ran into some issues with the federal grant compliance with the Buy America, Build America (BABA), which requires us to have materials that are bought to be 55% built here in America,” Lee said. “So we are not able to get all of those items for the HVAC, the glass and all the other materials.”
Smothers said the project started in April 2025 with a request for proposal. The design was submitted to the city council and approved by the finance committee in July 2025. She said the delay has added additional costs with at least $100,000 in expedited fees because of the BABA requirement. However with a budget of $3.4 million and only an estimated expenditure and encumbered of $2.3 million, the fees are still within the allocated funds for additional costs.
The project includes roof replacement, mechanical upgrades to the Air Conditioning Unit, seismic review, siding and paint upgrades, and window replacements. Smothers said some of the possible future upgrades to consider would be interior paint refresh, carpet replacement, resilient floor upgrades, ceiling and lighting improvements, restroom improvements, common space improvements and seismic upgrades.
While the center is under construction, programming continues in other locations. Senior programs, put on by the senior center staff and our guest services staff, continues in the Renton Community Center. With the help of Sound Generations, the lunch program and Meals on Wheels also moved to the community center. The bridge program moved to the Kennydale Lions Park building.
“The priority has always been to, um, continue to provide the same level of service, relationships, programs, and experiences that that community relies on,” Lee said.
Despite the changes, Lee said there have been no changes in the programs offered. The total recorded participation in programs has dropped 15 percent from 2025 to 2026.
“We’ve actually seen an increase in our fitness drop-in sessions and our fitness registrations,” Lee said. “This is largely due to the fact that those programs are now offered in the gyms at the Renton Community Center. So we actually have more space for those opportunities.
Lee said they will continue to offer the full schedule of classes, fitness, lunches, trips and recreation opportunities until construction is completed.
“Our work extends beyond operating our centers and maintaining our parks. We want to create opportunities to connect, remain active and build community,” Lee said. “While our building is temporarily closed, we remain committed to our seniors and to our entire community through this process.”
