Des Moines Detail
A King County hearing examiner has upheld the City of Des Moines’ approval of a demolition permit for the historic Masonic Home property, though preservation advocates say they are now considering an appeal to King County Superior Court.
In a decision issued Dec. 11, hearing examiner Peregrin K. Sorter of Laminar Law, PLLC denied consolidated appeals filed by Citizens for the Protection of Des Moines’ Historic Resources, the Des Moines Historical Society and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. The ruling affirms both the city’s Final Environmental Impact Statement and the demolition permit for the former Masonic Home of Washington.
Zenith Properties LLC purchased the property in 2019 after prior owners were unable to successfully redevelop the site. The demolition permit authorizes removal of the main building and other structures, with conditions requiring mitigation measures such as documentation of historic features and archaeological protections.
In post-hearing briefs, preservation groups argued that the city improperly narrowed its analysis and discounted viable alternatives, while the city and the applicant countered that no realistic funding path for preservation was identified during the multi-year review process.
Preservation advocates criticized the outcome and said further legal action remains under discussion.
“We feel the Hearing Examiner made the wrong decision on multiple points,” said Lloyd Lytle Jr., president of Citizens for the Protection of Des Moines’ Historic Resources. “We are currently discussing whether or not to file an appeal in King County Superior Court, due by January 1, 2026. We’ll need to fundraise again though, as the legal fees for the first appeal, at the City level, exceeded our fundraising, which was notable and appreciated, but lawyers charge high fees. We’ll let supporters know soon on our decision.”
Sorter’s decision concludes that appellants did not meet the burden of proving that the city acted in a clearly erroneous, arbitrary or capricious manner when approving demolition of the property at 23660 Marine View Drive South. The examiner found that Des Moines complied with the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and properly evaluated a reasonable range of alternatives, including historic preservation and adaptive reuse.
The Masonic Home, completed in 1926, served as a retirement home for members of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, has been recommended as eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and for designation as a local historic district.
Despite that eligibility, the examiner agreed with the city’s determination that preservation and reuse of the main building were not financially feasible.
“Restoration and adaptive reuse of the Main Building would not be financially feasible under any of the studied use scenarios, even when applying historic preservation incentives,” Sorter wrote.
Economic analyses included in the environmental review found that rehabilitation would require a subsidy of roughly $50 million, even after applying historic tax credits and other incentives, depending on the reuse scenario evaluated.
The ruling also addressed arguments that the city should have pursued public-private partnerships, affordable housing models or development on the eastern portion of the site to help subsidize preservation. Sorter found those alternatives were analyzed in detail but did not close the funding gap, and noted that SEPA does not require the city to secure funding for a private development proposal.
“The public safety and revitalization benefits of removing unsafe and blighted structures outweigh the significant loss of historic and cultural fabric,” Sorter wrote.
With the examiner’s decision now issued, appellants have until Jan. 1, 2026, to file any appeal in King County Superior Court.
The Highline Journal reported on the hearing earlier here
Members Discussion