Ryan House

UPDATE October 16, 2023

A demolition permit has been issued, but salvage and demolition will be postponed pending the resolution of the Growth Management Hearing Board petition.


UPDATE October 10, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE TO HEIRS OF LUCY V. RYAN

The City needs to postpone the event originally scheduled for October 18 to have Ryan family heirs walk through the house and identify items that they’d like to keep. We’ve been served with a petition to have the Growth Management Hearings Board review the Council’s resolution (petition included in the Document library). While that litigation is underway, it would be inappropriate to continue with this next step. Pending the litigation, we will reschedule with the family in the future.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO any and all rightful and lawful heirs of Lucy V. Ryan. The Sumner City Council adopted Resolution 1663 on September 18, 2023 directing Staff to initiate the permitting and bidding process for removal of the Ryan House structure. Pursuant to the conveyance deed dated January 25, 1926, when the structure was ready to be torn down, Ryan heirs reserved the right to enter the structure and identify items they desire to keep.

The City of Sumner invites such heirs, who are over the age of 18, to the Ryan House property (1228 Main St.) on October 18, 2023 during the hours of 8am-12pm for such purpose. Due to the current condition of the structure, any heir desiring to enter the structure will be required to execute a waiver and release and will be required to wear protective equipment. City Staff and/or City Contractors will accompany heirs inside the structure and endeavor to remove and salvage for heirs any items identified on a first-come, first-served basis, so long as said item(s) can be safely removed.

If you are an heir to the Ryan Family and have questions regarding the above, please call the Community Development Department at 253.299.5714.

What Happened & What Is Happening

Despite the City successfully receiving over $1 million in grants from the Port of Tacoma, Pierce County Lodging Tax and the State's Heritage Capital Projects fund to rehabilitate the Ryan House, the structural assessment of the house has shown that its needs significantly outpace available funding. The house may be beyond saving. While the house appeared stable from initial visible assessments, its structure was not. Opening up walls showed header beams did not exist where they should have. In the kitchen addition, studs in walls were split with the roof structure slowly caving into the room and pushing the walls out. Entire portions of the second floor had failed completely with load ratings in some cases at 11. (Modern code for a residential structure is 50 and ideal for a public building is 100.) In some cases in the pioneer cabin portion, entire second-floor walls were hanging in air, not supported by any kind of beams or structure and merely covered over for nearly 100 years with decorative tiles.

Starting in spring 2023, when assessments started to indicate major challenges, City staff have been updating the Council Finance & Personnel Committee routinely. These conversations led to four options:

OPTION 1: FULL REHABILITATION - Keep County/State grants, est. $1.1M+ short, high risk for increasing costs
OPTION 2: KEEP FARMHOUSE - Possible to keep some grants, est. $400,000-$1.2M short, lower risk for increasing costs
OPTION 3: FULLY DEVELOPED PARK SPACE - No grants remain, est. $600,000, low risk of increasing costs, loss of history
OPTION 4: UNDEVELOPED PARK SPACE - No grants remain, est. $100,000, low risk of increasing costs, loss of history

Option 1 notes the estimated cost is "$1.1M+" as the historic architects currently believe the needs to be about $1.1 million more than the current grant funding. The Committee recommended options 3 & 4 to advance for consideration to the full Council. On September 18, the full Council voted on a resolution to proceed with demolition.

Public Meeting Discussions

While some meeting videos are also linked to this page, all meeting agendas, agenda packets, minutes and videos can be found on our webpage for Meeting Agendas and Minutes (link). This includes everything for committee meetings as well as study sessions and full Council meeting.

Respecting the Deed

The Ryan family originally deeded the space to the City in 1926 to be Lucy V. Ryan park. The deed requests the house be used for at least five years and puts strict restrictions on the land with phrases that state nothing can be added onto the original house and nothing can be built on the site once the house is demolished. An amendment to the deed completed in 1979 expands the allowable use of the house from just a library to also include a museum. Although the deeds include some conflicting language about the city's ability to add onto the site, both deeds make it clear the site must be open and accessible to the public as a park. That has not happened in recent history. The house served as the City's library until the 1970s. Since then, the Sumner Historical Society has been the tenant of the space, rent-free. The City's 2019 Feasibility Study indicated most people assume the house--and yard--is a private residence. The City's original vision was to rehabilitate the house with modern safety infrastructure and accessibility in order to get it back in service as a museum with expanded uses and availability. Given the house's structural failures, this vision will likely change to fulfill the family's original vision to be a full park space.

Why did you let it get to this state?

Routine maintenance has been done on the house over the years. However, a few factors made any major project difficult. First, the City operates on a very lean budget, meaning there has never been excess funding to put into the house. Second, the tenant was extremely reluctant to vacate the space for construction and is currently critical of having to vacate for this planned remodel. All that said, no routine maintenance or light remodel would have added structural support where it's been missing since the house was built.

Why is this moving so quickly?

Depending on the Council's decision, demolition would happen this fall. The speed is out of necessity for safety. Now that we know the extent of the safety issues of the house, we have a duty and responsibility to remediate those as soon as possible. In recent months, firefighters have had to enter the building due to a fire alarm going off. We cannot put their life or anyone else's in jeopardy by keeping this structure as it is.

Why don't you get grants?

We did! We appreciate the support we received from Pierce County Lodging Tax, State Heritage Capital Projects, Port of Tacoma and Sumner's own Lodging Tax Fund. But, just because these funds are from grants does not mean we're going to waste them. Until we were sure if we could complete the project, we did not begin spending any construction dollars received. In fact, we knew enough challenges were starting to come up this spring, so we asked for an additional $750,000 from Pierce County Lodging Tax in 2024, which we were recommended for funding. However, the $1.1 million + shortfall already counts that additional funding. Plus, some of the grants have conditions, including a requirement to be spent in 2023, that we can't meet with the longer structural assessment, meaning we will quickly lose funding we obtained. Any other grant funds would not be available until 2025, and the house just won't wait that long.

What about using funds from other projects (Rainier View Covered Playshed, Sound Transit Garage, etc.)?

When cities take funding for one thing and actually use it elsewhere, that's called fraud. It is not only illegal but actually erodes public trust if we take your money to do one thing and then decide later to spend it elsewhere, no matter how worthy the project. Similarly, we can't use the grant funds we received for Ryan House for other Sumner projects and will be returning them.

What about other options to save the house?

We explored every option - including contacting This Old House on PBS to nominate the house as one of their TV-show project houses. We never heard back. In other City projects, when costs outpace funding, we usually phase the project. We don't have that luxury with this project. We can't rip the roof off and then wait two years for additional funding to finish up. As noted in the options above, we also explored the idea of saving the farmhouse portion since most of the worst structural issues are in the cabin and kitchen wings. However, that option was also full of issues, including possibly losing grant funding obtained as the scope of the project changed. We know removing the wings would also remove the house from the Historic Registry. There's also the fact that the 1926 deed includes a phrase that no additions can be made to the house. The only way for the farmhouse portion to survive would be a modern addition for the mechanical, restrooms, etc.

Why didn't you do more public outreach?

Again, the conditions of the property and how it is to be used are outlined by the deeds. Current public wishes cannot overturn those conditions, nor should it. We have heard mixed reaction from descendants of the family who gave the land. While sad to see the house go, Lucy's great-granddaughter reiterated the original desire for that space to be a park in honor of Lucy V. Ryan, who loved gardens and horticulture.

We did initial public outreach for how to reuse the house as part of the 2019 Feasibility Study. We discussed these structural issues with the Council's Finance & Personnel Committee in open public meetings since spring. We did not do any kind of public survey because the issue is funding, not desire. Most staff and Council would like to save the house--there's no question there. The issue is funding. If anyone reading this would like to donate approximately $1.5 million for this house, please contact the city directly. Otherwise, putting out a survey seemed disingenuous since we'd be asking if the public wanted an outcome we didn't have the funds to make possible.

What about the items that were in the house?

While the City owns the park and house, everything that was inside the Ryan House belonged to the Sumner Historical Society. They are storing items off-site. If you know of someone willing to help out the Society with storage needs or a future home for displays, please contact them directly.

Wasn't Ryan House on the Historic Register?

It is on the National Historic Register at a level of Local Significance. That last part is key because we were starting to apply for grants at the Federal level, but they required properties to be listed at a level of National Significance, which this is not. The listing does not do anything further to provide renovation support nor does it protect a listed building from being lost completely.

What about Sumner's history?

While we're sad to likely lose this piece of Sumner's history, we also know that Sumner's history is told best in more than one location. We were glad to see the Sumner Historical Society is already finding ways to spread history through various locations. We will do our part to explore ways to remember and share Sumner's history into the future.

We have noticed that many past documents focus the house's significance on George Ryan. While his many contributions included being Sumner's first mayor, it's important to note that the family gave the land to the city as a park in honor of Lucy V. Ryan. She was also a significant contributor to the Sumner community, and this is a good chance to refocus the commemoration accurately. With her love of horticulture and gardens, we look forward to working with the family and the public to honor her into the future with her park on Main Street.

UPDATE October 16, 2023

A demolition permit has been issued, but salvage and demolition will be postponed pending the resolution of the Growth Management Hearing Board petition.


UPDATE October 10, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE TO HEIRS OF LUCY V. RYAN

The City needs to postpone the event originally scheduled for October 18 to have Ryan family heirs walk through the house and identify items that they’d like to keep. We’ve been served with a petition to have the Growth Management Hearings Board review the Council’s resolution (petition included in the Document library). While that litigation is underway, it would be inappropriate to continue with this next step. Pending the litigation, we will reschedule with the family in the future.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO any and all rightful and lawful heirs of Lucy V. Ryan. The Sumner City Council adopted Resolution 1663 on September 18, 2023 directing Staff to initiate the permitting and bidding process for removal of the Ryan House structure. Pursuant to the conveyance deed dated January 25, 1926, when the structure was ready to be torn down, Ryan heirs reserved the right to enter the structure and identify items they desire to keep.

The City of Sumner invites such heirs, who are over the age of 18, to the Ryan House property (1228 Main St.) on October 18, 2023 during the hours of 8am-12pm for such purpose. Due to the current condition of the structure, any heir desiring to enter the structure will be required to execute a waiver and release and will be required to wear protective equipment. City Staff and/or City Contractors will accompany heirs inside the structure and endeavor to remove and salvage for heirs any items identified on a first-come, first-served basis, so long as said item(s) can be safely removed.

If you are an heir to the Ryan Family and have questions regarding the above, please call the Community Development Department at 253.299.5714.

What Happened & What Is Happening

Despite the City successfully receiving over $1 million in grants from the Port of Tacoma, Pierce County Lodging Tax and the State's Heritage Capital Projects fund to rehabilitate the Ryan House, the structural assessment of the house has shown that its needs significantly outpace available funding. The house may be beyond saving. While the house appeared stable from initial visible assessments, its structure was not. Opening up walls showed header beams did not exist where they should have. In the kitchen addition, studs in walls were split with the roof structure slowly caving into the room and pushing the walls out. Entire portions of the second floor had failed completely with load ratings in some cases at 11. (Modern code for a residential structure is 50 and ideal for a public building is 100.) In some cases in the pioneer cabin portion, entire second-floor walls were hanging in air, not supported by any kind of beams or structure and merely covered over for nearly 100 years with decorative tiles.

Starting in spring 2023, when assessments started to indicate major challenges, City staff have been updating the Council Finance & Personnel Committee routinely. These conversations led to four options:

OPTION 1: FULL REHABILITATION - Keep County/State grants, est. $1.1M+ short, high risk for increasing costs
OPTION 2: KEEP FARMHOUSE - Possible to keep some grants, est. $400,000-$1.2M short, lower risk for increasing costs
OPTION 3: FULLY DEVELOPED PARK SPACE - No grants remain, est. $600,000, low risk of increasing costs, loss of history
OPTION 4: UNDEVELOPED PARK SPACE - No grants remain, est. $100,000, low risk of increasing costs, loss of history

Option 1 notes the estimated cost is "$1.1M+" as the historic architects currently believe the needs to be about $1.1 million more than the current grant funding. The Committee recommended options 3 & 4 to advance for consideration to the full Council. On September 18, the full Council voted on a resolution to proceed with demolition.

Public Meeting Discussions

While some meeting videos are also linked to this page, all meeting agendas, agenda packets, minutes and videos can be found on our webpage for Meeting Agendas and Minutes (link). This includes everything for committee meetings as well as study sessions and full Council meeting.

Respecting the Deed

The Ryan family originally deeded the space to the City in 1926 to be Lucy V. Ryan park. The deed requests the house be used for at least five years and puts strict restrictions on the land with phrases that state nothing can be added onto the original house and nothing can be built on the site once the house is demolished. An amendment to the deed completed in 1979 expands the allowable use of the house from just a library to also include a museum. Although the deeds include some conflicting language about the city's ability to add onto the site, both deeds make it clear the site must be open and accessible to the public as a park. That has not happened in recent history. The house served as the City's library until the 1970s. Since then, the Sumner Historical Society has been the tenant of the space, rent-free. The City's 2019 Feasibility Study indicated most people assume the house--and yard--is a private residence. The City's original vision was to rehabilitate the house with modern safety infrastructure and accessibility in order to get it back in service as a museum with expanded uses and availability. Given the house's structural failures, this vision will likely change to fulfill the family's original vision to be a full park space.

Why did you let it get to this state?

Routine maintenance has been done on the house over the years. However, a few factors made any major project difficult. First, the City operates on a very lean budget, meaning there has never been excess funding to put into the house. Second, the tenant was extremely reluctant to vacate the space for construction and is currently critical of having to vacate for this planned remodel. All that said, no routine maintenance or light remodel would have added structural support where it's been missing since the house was built.

Why is this moving so quickly?

Depending on the Council's decision, demolition would happen this fall. The speed is out of necessity for safety. Now that we know the extent of the safety issues of the house, we have a duty and responsibility to remediate those as soon as possible. In recent months, firefighters have had to enter the building due to a fire alarm going off. We cannot put their life or anyone else's in jeopardy by keeping this structure as it is.

Why don't you get grants?

We did! We appreciate the support we received from Pierce County Lodging Tax, State Heritage Capital Projects, Port of Tacoma and Sumner's own Lodging Tax Fund. But, just because these funds are from grants does not mean we're going to waste them. Until we were sure if we could complete the project, we did not begin spending any construction dollars received. In fact, we knew enough challenges were starting to come up this spring, so we asked for an additional $750,000 from Pierce County Lodging Tax in 2024, which we were recommended for funding. However, the $1.1 million + shortfall already counts that additional funding. Plus, some of the grants have conditions, including a requirement to be spent in 2023, that we can't meet with the longer structural assessment, meaning we will quickly lose funding we obtained. Any other grant funds would not be available until 2025, and the house just won't wait that long.

What about using funds from other projects (Rainier View Covered Playshed, Sound Transit Garage, etc.)?

When cities take funding for one thing and actually use it elsewhere, that's called fraud. It is not only illegal but actually erodes public trust if we take your money to do one thing and then decide later to spend it elsewhere, no matter how worthy the project. Similarly, we can't use the grant funds we received for Ryan House for other Sumner projects and will be returning them.

What about other options to save the house?

We explored every option - including contacting This Old House on PBS to nominate the house as one of their TV-show project houses. We never heard back. In other City projects, when costs outpace funding, we usually phase the project. We don't have that luxury with this project. We can't rip the roof off and then wait two years for additional funding to finish up. As noted in the options above, we also explored the idea of saving the farmhouse portion since most of the worst structural issues are in the cabin and kitchen wings. However, that option was also full of issues, including possibly losing grant funding obtained as the scope of the project changed. We know removing the wings would also remove the house from the Historic Registry. There's also the fact that the 1926 deed includes a phrase that no additions can be made to the house. The only way for the farmhouse portion to survive would be a modern addition for the mechanical, restrooms, etc.

Why didn't you do more public outreach?

Again, the conditions of the property and how it is to be used are outlined by the deeds. Current public wishes cannot overturn those conditions, nor should it. We have heard mixed reaction from descendants of the family who gave the land. While sad to see the house go, Lucy's great-granddaughter reiterated the original desire for that space to be a park in honor of Lucy V. Ryan, who loved gardens and horticulture.

We did initial public outreach for how to reuse the house as part of the 2019 Feasibility Study. We discussed these structural issues with the Council's Finance & Personnel Committee in open public meetings since spring. We did not do any kind of public survey because the issue is funding, not desire. Most staff and Council would like to save the house--there's no question there. The issue is funding. If anyone reading this would like to donate approximately $1.5 million for this house, please contact the city directly. Otherwise, putting out a survey seemed disingenuous since we'd be asking if the public wanted an outcome we didn't have the funds to make possible.

What about the items that were in the house?

While the City owns the park and house, everything that was inside the Ryan House belonged to the Sumner Historical Society. They are storing items off-site. If you know of someone willing to help out the Society with storage needs or a future home for displays, please contact them directly.

Wasn't Ryan House on the Historic Register?

It is on the National Historic Register at a level of Local Significance. That last part is key because we were starting to apply for grants at the Federal level, but they required properties to be listed at a level of National Significance, which this is not. The listing does not do anything further to provide renovation support nor does it protect a listed building from being lost completely.

What about Sumner's history?

While we're sad to likely lose this piece of Sumner's history, we also know that Sumner's history is told best in more than one location. We were glad to see the Sumner Historical Society is already finding ways to spread history through various locations. We will do our part to explore ways to remember and share Sumner's history into the future.

We have noticed that many past documents focus the house's significance on George Ryan. While his many contributions included being Sumner's first mayor, it's important to note that the family gave the land to the city as a park in honor of Lucy V. Ryan. She was also a significant contributor to the Sumner community, and this is a good chance to refocus the commemoration accurately. With her love of horticulture and gardens, we look forward to working with the family and the public to honor her into the future with her park on Main Street.

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Page last updated: 26 Oct 2023, 04:53 PM