From our sister site The Waterland Blog:

The City of Des Moines on Thursday, July 31, 2025 released its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed demolition of the historic Masonic Home (aka “Landmark on the Sound”), bringing the controversial project one step closer to resolution.

The 90-page EIS, ordered more than three years ago in response to property owner Zenith’s demolition application, is now posted on the city’s website.

Zenith Properties LLC, which purchased the 99-year old property for $11.5 million in 2019, is seeking to demolish all existing structures, citing safety concerns and ongoing issues with trespassing, vandalism, and graffiti.

There are no publicly released redevelopment plans from Zenith for the property beyond the demolition permit application, so its future use remains unknown.

The grand 256,000-square-foot Tudor-Gothic property, located at 23660 Marine View Drive South in Des Moines and overlooking Puget Sound, features a five-story main building, a water tower, historic pump houses, outdoor structures, and landscaped grounds that have been a local landmark for nearly a century.

Constructed in 1926 as a retirement home for Freemasons, the campus served residents for decades before closing in 2004 amid rising maintenance costs and declining occupancy. It operated for several years as “Landmark on the Sound” before closing in 2014, hosting weddings, events, and film productions. Recent years of neglect have left the property in disrepair, and the city now considers the buildings unsafe due to significant structural and fire hazards.

The property was never formally designated as a historic landmark because the Freemason owners did not pursue the designation, which is generally required for local protections. While the 1926 Tudor-Gothic building is considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, that listing would be honorary and would not prevent demolition. Without official landmark status, the city cannot mandate preservation, leaving the property vulnerable despite its cultural significance.

Zenith has submitted a demolition application as a private property owner on a privately owned piece of land, which includes these five objectives for the proposed demolition of the existing structures:

Demolish the existing structures on the Property.
Remove on-site unsafe conditions/potential hazards due to existing structural conditions.
Prevent further trespassing within the existing structures.
Prevent further vandalism to the existing structures.
Prevent further graffiti to the existing structures.

The City said the process included several rounds of public input, reflecting widespread community interest in the impressive, historic 30-acre Puget Sound bluff property.

The report offers sobering conclusions for those hoping to save the main building, citing severe structural deterioration and the high cost of restoration. Numerous resident campaigns to save the landmark building were held, but the EIS strongly indicates that it will be demolished.

However, the EIS also outlines mitigation measures that would preserve some historic elements and provide future public access to the grounds, including creating official Historic American Buildings Survey documentation, salvaging significant architectural elements like stained glass, marble, and woodwork, and contributing over $1.1 million to a city-managed historic preservation fund. Future redevelopment must also feature a publicly accessible historical interpretation area of 5,000 to 10,000 square feet, showcasing the site’s story and select preserved materials.

Upcoming Presentations & Meetings

City staff will present the EIS findings to the Des Moines City Council on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The City says this presentation will be informational only, as the council does not vote on the EIS or the demolition permit. Under city regulations, staff – not the council – make permit decisions.

A decision on the demolition permit is anticipated on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, with the outcome shared publicly that same day. State law requires the city to wait at least seven days between releasing an EIS and issuing a permit decision. The 10-day appeal window for both the EIS and the permit action will begin on Aug. 8.

A community meeting for residents to ask questions about the EIS and next steps is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Beach Park Auditorium.

What Happens Next?

The City says that there is no comment period on the Final EIS.

“The City cannot take action on the proposal for 7 days following this notice (Washington Administrative Code [WAC] 197-11-460),” it said in the document. “The Final EIS and underlying permit decision may be appealed under SEPA (RCW 43.21C.075) and the Des Moines Municipal Code (DMMC 16.05.320). Appeals may be commenced by filing a written appeal with the City Clerk within 10 days of the date the underlying permit decision is issued (DMMC 16.05.320 and DMMC 18.240.170).”

For more information, please visit the City of Des Moines project webpage: