1704 Markham on the move
Thanks to several alert readers for letting me know that 1704 Markham is about to be on the move. (Many thanks to SD for the pictures.)
While I'd prefer to see the house stay at its original location, I'm glad that someone is going to be giving it a new life somewhere else (and if anyone finds out where that is, I'd be curious to know.
Edit: See John Martin's comment below - he is moving the house to Edith Street, nearby in Old West Durham
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13 comments:
hoooray! glad to hear it is moving!
jeff monsein still bites.
I sure hope he doesn't slap up another piece of crap like he always does. I won't hold my breath though.
Gary,
I didn't realize the house movers would begin work so quickly. I always intended that you would be the first to know about this, because I found out about the house on your blog. If you ever wonder whether all your hard work on Endangered Durham makes a difference, rest assured that it has in this case.
Anyway. . .the house is moving to Edith St. It is a newly subdivided lot at the end of Edith St. off of Englewood Ave. (Edith St. like Glendale Ave and some other confusing streets in Durham deadends and then picks up a block or so later). This will make it part of Old West Durham near other mill houses of similar vintage and style. While I understand your desire to keep it on Markham, it will be staying almost in the same neighborhood.
The house will be lovingly renovated and, of course, we will keep all of the original windows, doors, woodwork, and floors. We intend to add on two more bedrooms since the house right now is essentially four rooms: living room, dining room, kitchen, and bed room. (A porch was enclosed at some later time to make a claustrophobic bedroom and bath. We won't keep that.) Nor will we keep the vinyl siding. The new addition will have wooden siding to match the original, as well as wooden windows to match the originals. It will be nice. We have discovered that there was once a double fireplace for heating both the living room and dining room, and this will be rebuilt.
I intend to live in the house once it is finished, and I am excited about the project and playing some small role in preserving "endangered Durham."
Chris32 and anonymouse:
I'm as avid a preservationist as anyone, so please understand that I mean this kindly when I say that your comments right now don't help. Save your abuse for people who don't listen at all. It would have been nice if 1704 W Markham stayed put, but that said, Jeff Monsein has been pleasant and patient. He had every legal right to bulldoze the house in February, but he held off while I arranged this. So give him a little credit. I do.
And Gary, once again, I thank you for your amazing site.
John
Thanks so much for working to preserve this little house - I'm thrilled that it will have a new life, and will be nearby. I can't imagine that you wouldn't be taking pictures during the move, but I'd love to post some. While my first desire is for any house to remain as part of its original context, I find house moves really amazing. I hope your experience is that this is a worthwhile and successful endeavor - and if so, I'd love for you to let us know here. While I wouldn't want houses in East Durham to be picked up and moved across town, I'd much rather see that happen than houses just continue to be demolished and sent to the landfill. What a terrible waste. I'd love to continue to show people that this is a viable option for a house that someone is intent on demolishing.
GK
While removing a structure from its original context does suck, the alternate of moving it or salvaging it is better than it being bulldozed or burned down.
Kudos to you for saving it, John.
I'm so glad to hear the good news and that the house will be restored. Way to go John and good luck! :)
John:
I don't know you, but I've always enjoyed reading your comments on this blog. You are right on about historic preservation, and understand why it, and urban neighborhood stability go hand in hand. Thanks also for "saving this house." It takes a lot of courage to take on a task like this, however, it can be rewarding, and depending on the distance, and amount of work you intend to do, can be a strong move financially.
Thanks again for your contribution to Durham's architectural heritage.
Myers Sugg
Mr. John Martin,
As I said a couple weeks ago, welcome to Old West Durham. We're so glad you've come. :)
Although I regret the removal of this structure from its original context, this is a great example of the 360-day demolition delay imposed by the Historic Preservation Commission contributing to a positive outcome. Kudos to John Martin, and thanks to Jeff Monsein and others that helped make this happen.
You know what would be nice? If a structure is saved from the wrecking ball, a little marker at the old site indicating where the house/structure moved.
If I recall correctly, among no doubt dozens of folks who've lived there, John's house was once home for a while to "women's music" pioneer Teresa Trull, who once fondly recalled times spent picking on the front porch with friends. That's what the house needs...I hope John's a picker!
Thanks everyone for your kind comments and good wishes. I'm going to try very hard to live up to your expectations. Right now we are going through the process of getting a moving permit. The city requires us to get the approval of no fewer than twelve different agencies, departments, companies, etc. before the moving permit can be issued. Then my contractor will have to construct the new foundation. Consequently, It will be a little while before this move occurs. So don't be alarmed if nothing seems to be happening immediately.
I will be trying to take pictures with my new digital camera, but Gary and others are more than welcome to take pictures and post them here. I will certainly keep people posted as to when it will take its grand ride down 9th Street. Bring popcorn.
I thank Edna Feingartner for telling me that Teresa Trull once lived in this house. What I did not expect when I began this process is how many people would tell me that they lived there once, or visited there, or had friends who lived there, and how much the house meant to them. I really feel that restoring this house is not merely an opportunity but a trust. But, alas, Edna, the only thing I can pick is a strawberry. So I will have to leave the musicmaking to others. But when the house is restored, all the past occupants and friends are welcome to return and make music on the front porch until the saints come marchin' in. Or the police show up. :)
I'll be there when the saints come marchin in... :)
BTW, I understand from neighbors that the fist occupant was W.G. Tate, who worked at Imperial Life Insurance. From 1955 and 1956 Erwin Mills supervisor William Bumpass and his wife Imogene lived there. From 1957 to 1958, Erwin Mills tech worker Herman J. Reid and his wife Claudia lived in the house. In 1959, Erwin Mill assistant overseer Robert Holder and his wife Virginia lived there. Since then, a number of Duke faculty and others have lived in the house across from the East Campus wall.
FYI, below is some early press coverage.
~John Schelp
Durham man offers up free house
By Anthony Wilson, ABC-11 Eyewitness News (Jan 2008)
There's a house in one of the Triangle's most desirable neighborhoods that's available for free, because the owner wants to build a bigger home on the lot.
It's located across the street from Duke's east campus, at 1704 Markham Avenue. It's an old house, built sometime during the 1920s, and it's not in great shape. But it's historically significant because its former occupants include mill supervisors from the days when Durham was a bustling manufacturing town. It's also housed several members of Duke's faculty over the years. That's why John Schelp of the Old West Durham Neighborhood Association is spreading the word that the house is available to someone who is willing to move it.
"Well, we're working hard to keep it from becoming landfill dust," Schelp told Eyewitness News.
While Schelp and other preservationists in Durham want to save the house, "It's not something that I'm interested in doing," said its owner, Jeff Monsein. "But if somebody has the wherewithal and a place to put it, I'm willing to give them the house and give them $5,000. They're great houses and I've fixed up, literally, dozens of them. But some of them are not worth fixing. In this case, this house, if somebody does take the time to move it, I think they'll have a diamond in the rough!"
With some improvements, the house could be cozy. It has nice, possibly original hardwood floors inside, along with structural challenges like cracks in the walls and a crumbling foundation. Monsein told us the new owner will have to pay for the fixes. "I mean, new wiring, new electrical, new sheetrock. Somebody's gonna have to really love an old house and put their heart and soul in it."
Monsien would like a firm commitment from potential new owners by February 8, or he will tear the house down. He knows some people could still salvage something after its demolished. "Like the pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church, he's already put his dibs in on the rails for the front porch," Monsein said.
But preservationists would prefer seeing the porch and the house, on another lot.
****
Historic House Is Free, If You Can Move It
WRAL-TV News, 28 Jan 2008
Acquiring a historic Durham home could be done for
free if the buyer is willing to move – the house.
The owner of the Tate House, in the Trinity Heights
local historic district, has offered to sell the house
for free. The buyer, however, must pay to move the
house from its 1704 W. Markham St. address.
In February 2007, the Durham County Historic
Preservation Commission granted permission to demolish
the Tate House but ordered a 365-day delay to look for
a buyer.
The cost of moving a house starts around $25,000. The
owner of the Tate House has offered to chip in $5,000
to defray the costs of moving.
The Tate House dates back to the 1920s, when local
factory workers [sic] lived there. A number of Duke
faculty members later lived the house.
****
Durham's free house sparks interest
ABC-11 Eyewitness News, 28 Jan 2008
Anthony Wilson
An offer for a free house, if you can move it, is getting a few bites.
The house sits on a desirable lot on Markham Avenue, near Duke's campus.
The owner is thinking about tearing it down, but preservationists say it is worth saving.
So, the owner made an offer to save the house, but keep his lot.
One neighbor says despite the owners offer of $5,000 to help move the house off the lot, he would not take it.
"I really would not. I think there'd be much more cost in energy and labor involved," neighbor, Luke Chen said.
However, not everybody feels that way. There have been several inquiries, including one from a man who wants to move the house to Henderson, but that is not the location preservationists would prefer.
"It's a little like matchmaking," preservationist, John Schelp said. "They're going to try to match the best owner with the house, and look at the location,
see if it's going to be historically appropriate,
and move from there."
Schelp has spoken with representatives of Preservation Durham, the group that is fielding
inquiries about the house.
"What we need is someone who has a parcel ready, who has the funds available to move the house," he said.
Though, they prefer to move the house not far from the original location.
"Priority would be a neighborhood like Trinity Heights, if not Trinity Heights itself," Schelp
said. "And I think the next priority would be to move it into an historic district in Durham."
That could happen, since the owner considers at least three of the inquiries he received, serious.
The house is being moved to Edith Street in Old West Durham -- on Sunday, May 18 (starting around 8AM).
Folks are being asked not to park on the street on Edith or Englewood between Ninth Street and Edith between 8 and noon. Markham, Ninth and Englewood may also be temporarily blocked during this time.
Here are pics of another house being moved into the neighborhood... http://www.owdna.org/housemove.htm
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