The family of a 14-year-old Ballard High School student who died after falling at Gas Works Park last year has dropped a lawsuit against the city of Seattle after the municipality removed parts of the park’s tall tanks and structures to prevent climbing. The family’s attorney, Karen Köhler, said that after work was completed to remove ladders, walkways and platforms located up to about 50 feet high, the family decided to withdraw the public-nuisance claim.
Gas Works Park is a public park built on the site of a former coal-gasification plant that operated from 1906 to 1956. Its uniqueness stems from architect Richard Haag’s decision to preserve the industrial structures: gas holders, boilers and brick buildings recognized as historic resources and rare examples of early-20th-century gasification technology. The park became the first example in the U.S. of repurposing an industrial site for recreation, and preservation of these structures has been justified by their cultural and architectural value.
The lawsuit, filed in October of last year, noted that Johnson’s death was the third fatality resulting from falls from the park’s rusty structures. The clash between the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department and the Landmarks Preservation Board played out for months — despite three tragedies, disputes over the value of these structures as historic resources blocked their removal. The Landmarks Preservation Board has authority to block demolition or substantial alteration of landmarks, even if they pose safety risks. In the case of Gas Works Park, it could insist on preserving dangerous elements as part of the site’s “authenticity,” creating a conflict between preservation and visitor safety.
The family accused the city of negligence: according to the complaint, officials had acknowledged the structures were hazardous as early as 2016, but bureaucratic disagreements delayed repairs. After Johnson’s death in July 2023, the park declared an emergency and proposed removing all climbable surfaces. In October, however, the Landmarks Board rejected that proposal, insisting on the elements’ historical value.
The tragedy echoed the fate of two other young people: 19-year-old Lucas Voss-Kernan of Massachusetts died in 2012, and 20-year-old Zoya Yelink of Seattle died in 2022. Both fell from heights of about 50 feet. Dozens of less serious falls have been recorded since the park opened in 1975. The city conducted partial removal of hazardous elements in 2016, but that did not prevent further tragedies.
Only after the family sought a court order did the city begin removal on April 22, completing the work by the time the lawsuit was withdrawn. The family’s attorney noted: “The Johnsons’ lawsuit proves that society is not required to sit idly by while the city shirks its duty to protect youth.” Key elements of Gas Works Park are now safer while retaining their status as a historic landmark.
Based on: Grieving family drops lawsuit over Gas Works Park death