So far the city has spent more than $25,000 cleaning the house that was donated to the city as part of the Kenyon-Dobson property, but city officials are excited that it appears to be in good condition and will not have to be demolished.

“If we can save this house … we get a whole interpretive center,” Community Services Department Administrator Terry Higashiyama said Monday during a meeting of the City Council’s finance committee. “It’s going to be such a wonderful asset for our community.”

But before it can be opened to the public, the house – which became the city’s as part of the gift left to the city in the will of Arthur Kenyon – has to be fully cleaned and the roof will have to be replaced.

So far the city has spent about $26,000 in two rounds of cleaning, according to Higashiyama, including the removal of tons of garbage and cleaning and disinfecting of the entire house, as well as the removal of mold.

The basement, for example, was apparently filled nearly to the top of the steps with garbage, as were other rooms and a lean-to in the back.

Other rooms were also filled with garbage and there is damage to the electrical and plumbing at the house, but structurally, Higashiyama said it was still in “very good shape.”

The house and two-acre parcel of land, located on Lincoln Avenue Northeast at the Renton/Newcastle city lines was officially transferred to the city in February, after a seven-year wait that included two years in court.

Kenyon, who died in 2008, donated the land to the city with a handful of conditions, including that it be called “Kenyon-Dobson Park,” the trees be left standing and the land be minimally developed. He also included a section allowing Karen Dobson, his partner of 25 years and the will’s executor, to live on the property for five years.

After the five years had passed, the city began to work on taking ownership of the property, but Dobson refused to sign over the deed or vacate the land, saying it was her duty as executor to make sure the land was accepted according to what she said were Kenyon’s wishes, which included stricter standards, despite what the will states.

In 2014, the city began the process of trying to “quiet the title” on the land, meaning that a court would rule on which of multiple claims is legal.

This past September, the city’s motion to quiet title was granted. Dobson, who was served notice of the order in August of that year, made no response and filed no opposition to the motion.

In February, Dobson and the city were back in court, with the ruling again coming in the city’s favor. Eviction proceedings were started and Dobson was forced to leave by Feb. 13.

The case did not end there, however, as it appears that Dobson, who acted as her own attorney, filed a motion to reconsider or revise sometime after the 10-day period granted for such a response. City attorneys said they are still waiting for the outcome on that motion.

City staff have been working on the property in the interim, including hiring ServPro to come in and clean the home in two separate 4-day sessions.

The land and house have also been appraised. The home was valued at nothing, while the land was valued at $600,000.

The city plans to use the land as a park and possible trail head that links to the larger May Creek Corridor, an area of land protected through agreements between the City of Renton, King County and the City of Newcastle. The idea is to maintain the wildlife corridor around the creek so the Kenyon-Dobson property will be kept in a forested state. Original plans for the house included an interpretive center for the May Creek corridor.

In order to stay within the terms of the will to not develop the land, the city has even purchased a small parcel of land located next to the property to be used as a parking lot.

Higashiyama said there is still work to be done on the house and the property. A community meeting is being planned for later this summer.