The state Department of Enterprise Services, which manages Capitol Campus property, is seeking bids to purchase, remove and relocate two Olympia press corps houses, otherwise known as the Carlyon House at 201 Sid Snyder Ave. SW and the Ayer House at 1417 Columbia St. SW.
Proposals from potential bidders are due Aug. 3. There is no minimum bid, according to the state. However, the proposals will be evaluated for how well they meet 10 criteria, including a city of Olympia-reviewed transportation plan identifying potential route to new site. The houses must be removed by Dec. 31, 2021.
If there are no proposals that meet bid criteria, DES will move forward with preparing the site to accommodate Newhouse Building replacement construction, which includes demolition of the press houses. The Newhouse construction is part of a larger effort to modernize the Capitol Campus.
The Carlyon House was built in 1923 by P.H. and Edna Carlyon for their personal residence. P.H. Carlyon served in both the Washington state House and Senate. The Ayer House was commissioned by investor Louise Hanson, wife of Olympia Oyster Co. president O.C. Hanson, in 1937, according to Enterprise Services It was designed by Elizabeth Ayer, the first woman graduate of the University of Washington's School of Architecture.
