Watkinsville house ready to move a few dozen yards
Saturday morning I walked my dog in the far too hot son, and took a somewhat circuitous route back from the downtown Farmers Market in Watkinsville. We decided to check out some shade across the street from the Sanctuary, where there is a large old home ready to be rolled to the corner of a lot.
http://m.wap.onlineathens.com/content/photos-watkinsville-historical-home#slide-1
Thank goodness for a packed cooler with water at the end of the neighboring new lot with a note advising you to hydrate your aqua tauntaun in an obscure Star Wars reference. My dog Katrina welcomed the ice cold bottled water in our six block trek back to our abode.
I welcome development in Watkinsville like the new small house being built on the edge of Watkinsville Woods and the new larger J.W. York houses being built adjacent to the backside of Morgan Manor Estates on Wilson. Sometimes with growth comes unintended consequences, and this is neither an indictment or a harbinger of negative effects on the surrounding area.
While I like this move and salute the efforts of everyone involved, I believe it is my duty to throw a little cold water on the efforts to try and give a little sanctity to the neighborhood and how one seemingly win-win situation could have detrimental effects on the surrounding area.
I welcome this development and historic preservation by Mr. Carter. But as a keen observer of local politics, there are several logistic and governmental questions unaddressed (so far) in the fervor to save this wonderful old home.
My questions remain: where will the new lot have access and egress to whatever street (Second, Third, Barnett Shoals)? Have the neighbors been surveyed and asked their input? Where will the driveway be built?
Again many thanks to all the members of the Watkinsville City Council, Mayor Charles Ivie, Mr. Carter and everyone else involved in the story is commended for your crystal clear transparency in the entire process, unlike some of the more recent acquisitions around the city.
The footings are poured for the new location, and the house is looking like it will be a whole lot closer to the street than I initially understood.
The following is from the lede of Jim Thompson's story in today's Banner-Herald newspaper.
Jacked up and resting on timbers and steel beams, its two front porches removed, a 19th-century Watkinsville house that might have been dismantled and sold piecemeal is instead ready for the short move to its new home, according to James Carter, the local historic preservationist who purchased the structure in May.
I welcome development in Watkinsville like the new small house being built on the edge of Watkinsville Woods and the new larger J.W. York houses being built adjacent to the backside of Morgan Manor Estates on Wilson. Sometimes with growth comes unintended consequences, and this is neither an indictment or a harbinger of negative effects on the surrounding area.
While I like this move and salute the efforts of everyone involved, I believe it is my duty to throw a little cold water on the efforts to try and give a little sanctity to the neighborhood and how one seemingly win-win situation could have detrimental effects on the surrounding area.
I welcome this development and historic preservation by Mr. Carter. But as a keen observer of local politics, there are several logistic and governmental questions unaddressed (so far) in the fervor to save this wonderful old home.
My questions remain: where will the new lot have access and egress to whatever street (Second, Third, Barnett Shoals)? Have the neighbors been surveyed and asked their input? Where will the driveway be built?
Again many thanks to all the members of the Watkinsville City Council, Mayor Charles Ivie, Mr. Carter and everyone else involved in the story is commended for your crystal clear transparency in the entire process, unlike some of the more recent acquisitions around the city.
The footings are poured for the new location, and the house is looking like it will be a whole lot closer to the street than I initially understood.
The following is from the lede of Jim Thompson's story in today's Banner-Herald newspaper.
Jacked up and resting on timbers and steel beams, its two front porches removed, a 19th-century Watkinsville house that might have been dismantled and sold piecemeal is instead ready for the short move to its new home, according to James Carter, the local historic preservationist who purchased the structure in May.
The Second Street house, which had belonged to Watkinsville Memorial Baptist Church, is being moved to a half-acre lot next to the church property, a journey of several dozen feet.
The move could come as soon as today, Carter said last week, although there is no particular timeline for the work. The schedule could be affected by weather, should any thunderstorms leave the ground too muddy to get the structure placed above its new foundation.
http://onlineathens.com/mobile/2016-07-24/1800s-watkinsville-house-ready-short-move-new-tract
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