Here’s what will replace the downtown Sumner building that was devastated by fire in 2022
Plans are underway to rebuild part of Sumner’s Main Street where a building burned down about two years ago.
The space at 1003-1005 Main Street is an empty lot now with patches of grass and cement. A chain link fence surrounds the area, prohibiting the public from entering. Passersby and motorists can see a red and white sign inside the fence, with the words “Coming Soon” at the top.
The plan is to build a two- or three-story building, containing spaces for lease, according to an application filed with the city in October. The tenant spaces will include a bar and retail space on the ground floor, and office spaces on the second and or third floor.
State Sen. Chris Gildon is the point of contact for leasing details, according to the red and white sign. He has not responded to The News Tribune’s requests for comment about the project.
The News Tribune reported previously that his wife’s family bought the building in 1991. It housed Stuck Junction Saloon, Whispering Hills Market (which sold home decor and furniture) and The Attic (an event space) until it burned in October 2022.
Prosecutors charged a 23-year-old woman in November 2022 for setting the fire. The blaze devastated downtown Sumner.
Allison Judge, the city’s permit coordinator, wrote in an email to The News Tribune Aug. 23 that the city has not received any tenant improvement permits so far, so the city does not know who will occupy the space when it’s built.
City documents about the project do not indicate when construction will start and end.
The News Tribune reported in June 2023 how businesses displaced by the fire had recovered or tried to recover.
