Last week: Should local governments be involved with historic property?
Some cities in Cobb County have been in the business of acquiring historic houses - some tearing them down, some preserving them. In February, Smyrna demolished the 1850 Hooper-Turner House at 5811 Oakdale Road in Mableton after a decade of ownership due its deteriorating condition and lack of a buyer.
Then in March, Smyrna officials agreed to pay $1.8 million to buy the nearly 5,000-square-foot Reed House, built in 1910, on 3.55 acres at 3080 Atlanta Road. Its use by the city has not been determined yet.
In Powder Springs, city officials paid $175,000 in June 2014 to buy the 3,600-square-foot Bodiford House at 4355 Marietta St. that was built in 1923. The final cost will be $765,000, which includes that purchase price. Expected to open in September, the house will be the new home of the Seven Springs Museum, which has been subjected to flooding in recent years at its present location on Brownsville Road at the railroad tracks.
We asked readers if local governments should buy historic houses to restore them or destroy them or even acquire them at all.
Here’s what some readers had to say:
My response is a resounding YES. Historic homes and properties have an intrinsic value of affording its citizens what historians call "A Sense of Place," helping us to feel like we are a part of the charm of our community. Although Smyrna had to demolish the 1850 Hooper-Turner House, they also deserve much credit for purchasing another historic house to fill their needs. — Lynne Byrd
It is the responsibility of those who survive to represent those who do not, and these buildings do that. They serve to exhibit the unique experience of this region and contribute immensely to its story, and they serve to show us our place in this story. Not only should government assist - the citizenry should become stewards of these buildings and structures as well. — David Yoakley Mitchell
Three months ago the City of Smyrna wisely purchased the very large and very historic Reed property. The stunning Arts and Craft style house sits on 3.6 acres of very desirable land. The land alone is worth the asking price (of $1.8 million). The history of the property includes ownership by several former mayors of both Marietta and Smyrna, one of whom also owned the very important Belmont Farms, one of the South's leading livestock and poultry research and sales centers. The last resident of the house was Raymond Morgan Reed, a successful Cobb County lawyer who also served in the state legislature for many years and was responsible for some of the most important legislation of the 1950s and 60s. Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon and the majority of city council members made a courageous decision to save this historic property, and their efforts should be applauded. — Michael Terry
Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Although many DeKalb County residents spent much of last weekend with uncertain water service and when the taps were flowing a boil water advisory stretched into three days, many say that isn’t the bulk of the issue. Many questioned why it took so long for the county to resolve the crisis.
The problems started Thursday when a mower hit a fire hydrant in the Tucker area. The hydrant was located above a 48-inch water transmission line that began spewing thousands of gallons, leading to reduced water pressure that caused businesses throughout DeKalb to close.
Many couldn’t fathom how a problem in the northeast corner of the county could cause problems throughout the entire water system.
The county could have fixed the issue within a couple of hours after the hydrant shattered Thursday if it had the right equipment and knowledge, said Alessandro Salvo, the CEO of GS Construction, the company the county called to help with repairs Friday. Instead, he said the county tried to get the water system running early Saturday morning without shutting off the valve on the water transmission line.
The county says the aging infrastructure is to blame. Regardless, residents and business owners was some assurance that a problem of this magnitude won’t happen again. Or at least there will be a plan in place to handle and to more effectively alert the public of what’s going on.
What do you think? Was last weekend’s water woes just a fluke or a harbinger of things to come? Will another near-catastrophic incident like that happen again with the water and sewer system and if so, will the public be adequately informed? Send comments to communitynews@ajc.com.
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