According to an article on the Puget Sound Business Journal website, the Mars Hill Church property at 1401 Leary Way NW has been sold for a whopping $9 million.
The article confirms that Interbay’s Quest Church won the final bid for the property and plan to move into the building later this year.
The property initially went on the market last October with a price of $8 million at a time when the church was reeling over the resignation of Pastor Mark Driscoll.
Driscoll resigned in October amid allegations of bullying, domineering behavior, abusive behavior, plagiarism and overseeing the mismanagement of church funds.
After October’s controversy, Mars Hill Church decided to completely dissolve and scrambled to take care of the 15 properties that they leased or owned across five states.
According to the PSBJ, the property drew the attention of nine retail developers, all with tenants in mind, however, Quest Church was victorious with its $9 million offer.
Quest Church, founded in 2001 in the living room of Eugene and Minhee Cho, currently has a congregation of close to 1000 and has outgrown its current location. “We have been amazed to see people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and age groups come to our church,” says Cho in a press release.
The move to will also allow Quest to be closer to one of its “core ministries” The Bridge Care Center (5710 22nd Ave NW). The BCC is a drop in center for men and women who are experiencing homelessness of economic hardship in our neighborhood. In 2014, the BCC provided services for 684 clients and distributed 20,273 resources.
In relation to the controversy and dissolution of Mars Hill Church, Cho and his congregation confirm their sensitivity and awareness. “Like many people, I was grieving about what happened. While we may have some theological differences, we consider them brothers and sisters in Christ,” says Cho.
Mars Hill Church is set to make a fine profit from the sale, as, according to public records, the Leary Way property was purchased for $4.8 million back in 2003.
Mars Hill Church continues to have properties on the market in the neighborhood, selling their former corporate office space at 1411 NW 50th St. The 40,000 square foot property, set on about 1.25 acres, has a current asking price of $6.9 million.
Photo courtesy of Commercial Brokers Association.
