Right now, people in the area are signing petitions left and right trying to save the 98-year-old Masonic building in Des Moines.
One of three Washington masonic homes; people of the community would describe it as majestic.
The building was officially opened in 1924, and it housed 225 residents.
The most well-known Masons of the world would be George Washington, Theodore Rosevelt, Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Jackson, etc.
Throughout history, the Mason’s diverse community has consisted of emperors, kings, presidents, religious leaders, scientists, inventors, and political leaders.
The final cost of the freemason building project was reported to Grande Lodge in 1929, which was $870,544 (adjusted for 2022, which would be $14.1 million.)
The property was put up for sale in 2013 and event center operations increased the following year.
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The proposed plan for demolition stands forebodingly in front of the Masonic home.
This building has been listed as one of Washington’s most endangered places since 2015.
Later, the property finally sold in august 2019 to EPC holding LLC for 11.5 million dollars. The Masonic building was transferred to Zenith properties LLC in November 2019.
The current application is out by Zenith Properties LLC to demolish it, with no indication of what would replace it.
According to the Seattle Times, Zenith submitted an application for a demolition permit in July of 2019.
People are still waiting for further information from Zenith after they had to re-apply for a demolition permit in 2020.
It is in the process of a SEPA EIS study, which looks at environmental impacts of a possible demolition.
However, since Covid, things have been quiet, permissions wise. So, while the opportunity was there, the historical society of Des Moines decided to act.
Right now, there is a petition out to save the Masonic building, in June of 2020 the petition was posted and within the last few months it has been circulated yet again.
The petition was organized and created by Lloyd Elliott Lytle Jr., a Des Moines resident and advocate for preserving and revitalizing the historic building.
“It just kind of wows you,” said Lloyd Lytle Jr. as he described why he felt the 1924 building was worth saving. “It’s important for cities to have places like that, that inspire people and move the soul.”
The Des Moines historic society is working hard to keep the building up and alive, a man named Richard Kennedy states that his hometown would be nothing without the majestic 95-year-old sparkling building hillside for all to see in Puget Sound.
“Des Moines would just slowly become another place without anything to denote it from the next town,” he said.
“We have lost too much. The history has gone, there is very little left. The Masonic home is the most outstanding building in Des Moines,” said ex-mayor of Des Moines and new leader in the Des Moines Historical Society, Richard Kennedy.
Specific plans remain unclear as to what will happen if the rest of the demolition permits go through, what is known is that the Des Moines community will not let the building go without a fight.