PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula Daily News office will be moving this weekend following the sale of its 9,530-square-foot building.
The original office space, built in 1969, and a 4,330-square-foot warehouse built in 1999 both will belong to Madrona Children’s Academy, which purchased the buildings earlier this month.
Peninsula Daily News will be moving to 1102 E. First St., near Angeles Furniture.
“This move marks a new chapter for the Peninsula Daily News,” said Eran Kennedy, publisher of the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. “While we’re leaving a building that has been our home for decades, we’re excited about the opportunities our new location offers to better serve our community.”
Lisa Clayton, founder of Madrona Children’s Academy, said the former PDN building will soon host infant, toddler and preschool classes, a summer and after-school enrichment program, an early childhood special education program and future community-centered programming for children and families.
“The early childhood special education program is the first of its kind and is greatly needed in our community,” Clayton said. “As more and more children are being diagnosed with autism, ADHD and other various special education needs, there is a severe lack of any resources in our area. Many families have to travel to Silverdale for limited services and Seattle for full services and diagnosis. It is a real issue and we aim to solve this for families.”
Peninsula Daily News operations have seen a significant change in the last 25 years, and as the media landscape shifted, the newspaper business adapted and right-sized itself in response.
“This decision to sell our longtime home reflects our changing needs and a focus on cost efficiency, allowing us to reinvest in local journalism and modernize our operations,” Kennedy said. “It enables future innovation and strengthens our financial sustainability, ensuring we can continue our commitment to local news and powerful storytelling for years to come.
“We’re equally pleased that another local business, Madrona Schools, has secured the purchase of our buildings. They are working hard to fill the gap in childcare accessibility in this region, and I am thrilled they will continue our legacy of community service.”
Technology continues to change the newspaper business, a transition that has gone from hot type to digital reproduction.
Kennedy said it’s important to have a public-facing location where readers can interact with the newspaper staff.
“We are incredibly grateful for the community’s support over the years,” she said. “We encourage all our readers to continue engaging with our publication during and after this transition.”
Clayton said Madrona Children’s Academy is proud to be in the downtown location.
“This building has been a cornerstone of our community’s story, and we’re honored to continue its legacy of service — this time through education and inspired learning,” she said. “We know that there are more working families than there are childcare spaces in our community, and we seek to help ease that tension in our community.”
The building will undergo extensive renovations to transform it into a welcoming and safe environment for children ages 1 month to 12 years old, Clayton said.
The move represents an expansion for Madrona Children’s Academy, which already serves North Olympic Peninsula families with two preschools and an early learning center.
The downtown location is expected to open in late fall, with enrollment details coming soon, Clayton said.
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Editor Brian McLean can be reached by email at brian.mclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
