118 year Old Historic Home To Be Demolished, Neighbors Try To Save The Structure
(Top: Home as it is today. Left: Home prior to the 2005 fire)
After two years of back and fourth between property owners and building inspection officials, it appears the hope of saving one of Rome’s historic structures is about gone.
According to Rome chief building inspector Howard Gibson, the 118 year old home located at 2 Coral Avenue, which was operating as a bed and breakfast before a fire in 2005 will be demolished within two weeks unless someone steps up and agrees to rehab the structure. Gibson said he hopes that someone will step forward because it is always difficult to tear down a historic building. “This home has been exposed to the elements for over two years and the floors are starting to get weak” he said. “We have done just about everything we can to avoid it.”
Neighbor Tricia Steele says she is concerned about the property being torn down. Steele has launched an effort to get preservation groups involved in saving the home. She says she has contacted the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Steele says thay are currently gathering information but have not yet given an answer.
According to Steele, the City of Rome has done everything they can to not tear it down. “I am just hoping for an organization to step in at the last minute and save it. It’s one of Rome’s oldest homes and we need to protect it.”
The home is not without its share of tragedy. A 25 year old Texas woman was killed and her husband was injured at the home in November of 2005 after a fire struck in the middle of the night. There were five other guests there at the time and they were all able to get out without injury.
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