The News Tribune reports:

“Hanson House demolished: It was a side story to the issues surrounding the location of a Sounder rail platform in South Tacoma. While Ken and Barbara Miller battled with Sound Transit over their property south of South 56th and Hood, the little house on their property sat awaiting its fate.

At least one history buff, David Burns, had dreamed of using the house as a place to tell the story of Northern Pacific’s South Tacoma shops. He hoped to have a 1910 dining car he’s restoring kept on tracks nearby.

Sound Transit won the right to take the land and recently demolished the house. A parking lot will replace it.

Was it historic? A request to begin the process to protect it was set aside so that the preservation process wouldn’t become entangled in the condemnation litigation.

But it is likely the preservation board would have found enough in the vaguely Victorian workers cottage to protect it.

According to census documents, it was built before 1910 as a home for Northern Pacific machine shop helper Daniel Hanson, his wife, Marie, and daughters Allette, Rogna and Olga.

Having a century-old house next to a rail line within blocks of the old NP shops would have been perfect for Burns’ dining car. He’ll keep looking.”

Link: (http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/columnists/callaghan/story/341320.html

Was it really necessary for Sound Transit to rush to demolish the Hansen House?

Here’s the short answer-NO.