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TRENDS I Monday, May 7/Ptgc 9
Athens' Historical Buildings
By DOUGLAS S. WOOD
A thens is referred to as the
Classic City." Whether it will stay
classic or not is the concern of the historic
preservation movement.
The preservation movement is trying to save
some of the historical buildings in Athens and
educate Athens' citizens about the benefits of
preservation.
According to Sheila Hackney, executive director
of the Athens/Clarke Heritage Foundation, the
movement traces its roots back to 1967, when a
small group of concerned citizens saved the
Brumby House, now the Welcome Center located
at 280 E. Dougherty St., from demolition.
Hackney said historic preservation is necessary,
because historical buildings give Athens a sense of
community, they are visually beautiful, and the
craftmanship in many old buildings is difficult to
find today and too expensive to duplicate for many (
people.
In 1986, the Athens City Council took action to
preserve historical buildings by passing the
Historic Preservation Ordinance. This ordinance
formed the Historic Preservation Commission. The
commission must approve any changes to a
building located in one of Athens' four historical
districts.
However, laws like this have opposition. The
Athens Business Council opposed the ordinance
when it was created.
Stan Henderson, president of the business
council, said "property owners should be consulted
in the process of making laws determining that
person's property." He also said the business
council wishes the best for preservation groups
and doesn't oppose preservation unless laws are
passed involving personal property rights.
In the November 1989 newsletter of the
business council Louis Trousdale, executive
director of the business council, wrote that the
Historic Preservation Commission is "hell-bent on
depriving the city property owners the individual,
inherent right to participate in the free enterprise
system in the ownership and business
management of their piece of Athens."
However, John W. English, a University
journalism professor and member of the
preservation commission said there is a
community right to historic property.
"Historic property is a responsibility that is a
certain kind of stewardship," English said.
He said people derive pleasure from historical
buildings and one person should not be able to
decide the fate of that property.
Currently, preservationists are concerned over
the proposed $22 million civic center. On the site of
the proposed civic center stands some 19th
century warehouses and the old Fire Hall No. 1,
which houses the Athens Chamber of Commerce.
Hackney said that Jim Hawlings, chairman of
the Clarke County Commission, told her, during a
phone conversation, that the buildings will have to
come down, and that he is not interested in saving
them.
"The commission seems to have a lack of
vision," Hackney said. However, she added that
the architects hired by the commission did listen to
what the preservationists had to say about the
| warehouses.
English offered a compromise, saying the Fire
Hall would be a logical place to integrate the civic
center. However, slightly hard-headed politicians
are making the decisions, he said. He said his
worst fear was that an ugly white elephant would
be built without the old buildings being integrated.
Larry E. Blount, a University law professor and
Vice-Chairman of the Civic Center Authority said
the authority, appointed by the Clarke County
Commission, has had no voice or participation in
the civic center site selection or land acquisition.
He also said that the commission took an
inordinate amount of time and money in planning
and acquiring property for the civic center.
Blount said the civic center could be built without
impacting the warehouses and the fire halL He said
he also could see the warehouses being integrated
in the civic center plans.
Unfortunately, the fight to save the warehouse
district isn't the only struggle for historic
preservation currently going on in Athens.
There is also a battle to save the Hull-Snelling
House, on Hull Street, from demolition An attempt
to have it and and the area around it designated a
historical district was defeated by the Gty Council.
Christian College still has the house up for sale,
and anyone can buy it and tear it down
The house cannot be used as a place of
business, however, because an attempt to have it
rezoned for business purposes was defeated last
year.
These conflicts raise the question whether
preservation and progress can work together.
Dr. English said they can, but there "is a point at
which there is no compromise." He said that the
preservation movement started late in Athens and
has met much resistance. 'There has been kind of
a backlash," English said, but he feels the
i preservation movement is doing better.
Hackney said there are still some losses, like the
demolition of St. Mary's Church, the former home
of the band R.E.M., but she feels that awareness
has been raised. Hackney said the Athens/Clarke
Heritage Foundation has 700 members now.
Despite resistance, historic preservation does
have definite benefits.
Hackney pointed out that a building on the
National Register of Historic Places can get a
person, who restores a building on the register, a *
20 percent deduction of restoration costs on their
personal income taxes. Of the 13 buildings, in
Athens, on the National Register, including the
Morton Building at the comer of Washington and
Hull Streets, the Athens/Clarke Heritage
Foundation nominated 12 of them.
The Morton Building which houses the Morton
: Theatre, is under extensive renovation.
Also under extensive renovation is the Lucy
Cobb Institute. Located on Milledge Avenue, the
buildings were formerly dorms and faculty
studios/offices. The University is restoring them to
house the Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
which is currently located in Terrell Hall on
campus. Unfortunately, the restoration does not
include the Seney-Stovall Chapel.
Another historic building currently being
restored is attached to Java on Prince Avenue,
j Michael Stipe, R.E.M/S lead vocalist, is
i refurbishing the building which dates back to the
early 1900s, to house the new Grit, a cafe/gallery.
It's no surprise that Stipe is involved because
! R.E.M., along with the Athens Observer, Trust
Company bank and Athens Federal bank, are all
corporate sponsors of the Heritage Foundation.
Aside from these businesses, English said that
| we all share in the beauty of Athens.
Hopefully, preservation and progress can work
hand in hand to keep Athens the "Classic City."