The Auburn Preservation League held a meeting on Tuesday, April 2 to discuss ways to prevent the demolition of two historic homes in Auburn.
The two homes, on North Gay Street, are currently set to be demolished to build a MAX Credit Union on the property.
President of the APL, Jason St. Clair, said the APL board approved a board within the APL called the Strategic Priorities Committee to work to establish laws that would hinder the demolition of Auburn's historic homes in the future.
"As we know right now, there's really no legal way to save these homes," St. Clair said. "As this committee we're going to go try to explore ways to stop this. The first meeting will be next week."
Chip Nix of Newground Building Company and Jason Lewis of Hydro Engineering Solutions, are working with MAX on the project and attended the ALP meeting on Tuesday, April 2 to hear community concerns and answer questions.
"Our client is MAX," Lewis said. "We're building a bank. The two homes cannot serve as a bank building. We have to build a bank vault, and there is no real way for us to use the homes. I don't have a project that can reuse the homes."
Nix said the homes have been for sale for the past three to five years.
A.Z. (Zack) Carter III, the son of the owner of one of the homes, said he would like to see the homes renovated for the credit union's use rather than demolished, a sentiment shared with many attendees of the meeting.
Carter said he doesn't want to impede the sale of the property, but doesn't want to see his father's home demolished.
"My father's widow had to sell because she's not wealthy," Carter said. "I know my father would not want to see the sale, but I know if at all possible, Dad would want to see his home saved."
Moving the home, conducting a feasibility study and renovating the home to fit the need of the credit unions were alternate plans discussed to save the home.
Nix said he is willing to hear ideas from the ALP about saving the homes, but said he needs to hear them in at least 30 days in order to have a conversation about the plans.
"We're trying to be good neighbors and come forward before the buildings come down," Nix said. "There's no way the buildings on the site, on those two properties will work for the credit union. But if the APL has a desire to either relocate the buildings or salvage materials, etc. we're trying to open the arms and say we're willing to talk and see what we can do to work together."
Nix and Lewis also said they have not currently set a date for the demolition, but said they are far along in the inspection period after meeting the necessary zoning requirements.
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