Quick Update #2: Central Campus Houses
One of the disconcerting aspects of Duke's Central Campus plans has been their intent to demolish the houses of West Durham that they didn't get the first time around, when they built Central Campus during the 1970s. While neighborhood activists worked to encourage Duke to save these houses, Duke initially saw them as a fundamental impediment to the Grand Plan.
The compromise that the neighborhoods fought to achieve does provide an opportunity to save these
houses, either by retaining the houses or moving them. To save the Garden Street Store, 1919 Yearby, and 1923 Yearby, Duke will give these buildings away to folks willing to move them. Moreover, they will contribute $5000 towards moving costs for each of the houses.
While the mill houses are free, Preservation Durham may have to collect approximately $2500 to cover the costs of historic covenants. Also, a foundation must be in place at the house destination. While every situation is unique, in my experience, the cost of house moving may run, give or take quite a bit, in the $20,000 range. This can escalate dramatically if utility lines are involved, more of a problem with two-story structures.
Obviously the total cost depends on the land cost, which varies with the neighborhood. But, if you love historic houses and are willing to go to some extra effort to get a good deal, the process is being coordinated by Preservation Durham. You can reach Carrie Mowry at carrie@preservationdurham.org to discuss it further. The process may take quite awhile, and, per Carrie, involve a Request for Proposals (RFP) at a specific time to be determined.
Duke has agreeed to save the remaining 10 houses, and there are no current plans to move them. However, should Duke change their minds about retaining these houses in their current location, they would need to move them in order to save them.
The houses to be moved in the short-term are:
1919 Yearby Avenue
1923 Yearby Avenue
309 Garden Street (Garden Street Store)
The following houses are houses that the neighborhood has negotiated with Duke to save.
1713 Pace Street
305 Alexander Avenue
307 Alexander Avenue
310 Alexander Avenue
311 Alexander Avenue
405 Swift Avenue
408 Swift Avenue
1511 Hull Avenue
1513 Hull Avenue
308 Powe Street
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6 comments:
Ooh! Ooh! (waves hand wildly) Can I have 309 Garden Street?
I'm half-serious; I've thought about subdividing my lot into two (and making the cottage into an office), but there might be a way to fit three structures on the acreage. What do you think?
OK, my contractor was over here this afternoon (the giddiness was contagious). First, the utility lines are on my side of Coles-May St. (I don't know why they changed the name of this street to "Norton".) This rules out the Garden St. property.
Secondly, I think $20K is being generous. Jim was able to move an old two story 1200 sq. ft. house for $6K, not including foundation. But prices vary widely for this service. If any readers are considering this, make sure you get a reputable house mover and read the fine print. Some contracts consider the house "yours as is" if any part of the house should slip off the trailer en route to its new location. HPSD will be a big help to you, I'm sure.
Ballpark estimate of square footage for these properties? Some of them appear as small as 800 sq. ft., which is about the size I need.
I'd have to cut down two hundred year old oaks (and plop a house down 12 ft. from my neighbor's driveway), but I think I can just squeeze one into the southern edge of the Coles property and still leave the cottage as a shared garage / privacy structure / workshop / home office.
I really like that I'd be getting a part of Duke's heritage, or at least my heritage; I used to hang out with some undergrads who lived on Yearby.
You're right, $20K is probably on the higher end of the range, but situations vary quite a bit based on what the house mover finds once one starts looking at the foundation. Do you have a chimney to take down? Are the framing members in good enough shape to withstand the move as-is? Not knowing these houses, I'm throwing out a conservative estimate.
I'd say the first choice for the folks involved would be to have these buildings be/remain primary dwellings - i.e. non-accessory, facing a street - timing and interest will probably dictate how choosy they might be.
GK
I'm interested in this, but I know nothing about moving houses. Can anyone tell what kind of factors go into determing the price, and their relative significance? Obviously distance of the move and size of the the house matter, but is one more important than the other? Are there special factors that a novice might not think about? Obviously if I got serious about this, I would get a lot of professional opinions and estimates, but just to brainstorm, I would be interested in any comments. I already own a large lot behind my house.
Hi John
Distance in-and-of-itself is not that big of a deal. The problem that greater distance creates is the likelihood that you will encounter a utility line that is too low. Utility lines are the biggest impediment to house moving in the modern era. Verizon, TIme Warner, and Duke Power are all loath to manipulate their lines for you. So they can charge exorbitant fees to deal with their lines. If it a one story house, this usually just involves someone riding on top of the house and using a pole to lift the lines that sag over the road up enough to let the house by. If you are trying to move a two-story house without cutting it in half (top-bottom), the lines have to be temporarily taken down, and this may cost anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 dollars.
Street trees are another similar issue, and something to keep in mind if there is a narrow canopy on an unavoidable path to your lot.
Aside from obstructions, there isn't anything too complicated about the move. Any structural issues with the house have to be dealt with ahead of time, obviously, and figuring out what to do with odd additions, porches, etc. can add expense. But if you had a solid house and few to no obstructions, the move really wouldn't be a big deal (which is one reason why it was so much more common in the late 19th-early 20th century than it is now).
Hope that's helpful.
GK
It's really great to see a picture of house at 405 Swift Avenue! I lived there when I was a junior and senior at Duke in the 1975-1977 era. The house was painted white in those days. We occasionally burned coal in the two bedroom hearths. Otherwise we used one fuel oil fired space heater in the country kitchen for warmth in the winter.
I'm glad to hear the house is marked for preservation. It's a fantastic location for students with bicycles (or feet) for transportation. The inter-campus bus runs along Campus drive at the bottom of the hill.
By the way, the houses at 405 and 407 Swift were peacefully occupied by lacrosse players, with no complaints from any neighbors!
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