Another House Falls in National Registry Historic District

Another residence in the National Registry historic district will fall to the wrecking ball as the house next door to it did last year. The 1940s -era bungalow is located at 219 Lawrenceville Street on the corner of Academy and Rakestraw Streets. Some 10 contributing properties have been lost from the historic district in recent months.

Thomas J. Simpson, owner of Simpson Brick in Doraville, reportedly purchased both properties and plans to put up a building on the site.

The city council held a hearing on the proposed demolition of the wood-frame bungalow at its February meeting, but could not vote on the matter when it was discovered a gap in the city code does not call for a vote. The city council corrected the glitch in a Special Called Meeting held in the week prior to the proposed demolition hearing, but the action was too late to affect Mr. Simpson's application that was already in process. The demolition application was automatically approved without a vote.

Ironically, any proposed new development such as Harold Tripp's townhome project down the street, must go through a detailed design review and obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the Architectural Review Board.

Had the proposed local preservation zoning ordinance been in place, a certificate of appropriateness would have been required from the Preservation Commission before a demolition could take place within a local designated historic district. The city council would hear appeals.

In other developments, 1920S-era Victorian craftsman bungalow next door at 189 Lawrenceville Street, distinguished as the city's first brick house, was slated for demolition. The historic house has won a reprieve and is being leased back to the city by Gwinnett county. Previously owned by Mr. Billy Weathers, the house was taken by the county in a 2003 condemnation action as part of the planned new fire station site.

SEE OTHER ARTICLES THIS SITE:

• Attempts to Exercise Eminent Domain Powers in City's Historic District
• SEE EDITORIAL: Master Plan Should Include Preservation Ordinance to Balance Effects of Eminent Domain