The basic brick ranch building at the corner of U.S. 78 and Abington Road near downtown Snellville sits vacant, shuttered and for sale.
Nothing happens there. That's just fine with nearby residents, city officials and even the local company that once had plans to turn the building into a crematory.
"I'd rather it burn down than be a crematory," said Allen Childers, who lives a couple houses away. "I'd even rather it be a crack house."
The property at 2098 Abington Road is for sale for $209,000, down from $279,000 -- another symbol of the sputtering business climate throughout the area.
The building also is a symbol of communal compromise following a year-long controversy that stirred intense debate among residents and city leaders in Snellville. Neighbors united in their opposition to the crematory and the cremation company and city officials reached a settlement that prevented a lengthy courtroom fight.
"Maybe you could say that was a low point for us," Snellville Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer said. "It pointed out a number of problems with the city. If you think about it, the only business we could attract was a crematory. But maybe now we're turning a corner."
Things were much different back in July 2008. That's when residents learned Cremation Society of the South wanted to establish itself in a residential neighborhood, just blocks from South Gwinnett High School. For weeks, hundreds of homeowners packed city hall to voice their complaints and express concerns.
The crematory appeared to catch city leaders by surprise, with some officials under the impression the location would be used as an office for lawyers or realtors.
Efforts to stop the crematory from opening proved futile. Chris Nuzum, then-owner of the Cremation Society of the South, met city and state requirements for his business and started operating in September 2008 over the protests of city officials.
A month later, the city revoked Nuzum's operating license and closed the business after an appeals board ruling involving building plans. Nuzum sued, seeking unspecified damages, and demanded the return of his licenses.
Nuzum and the city settled the suit in June 2009. Nuzum received $120,000 in exchange for agreeing to remove crematorium equipment from the house and selling the property.
The property went on sale for $279,000 before the price dropped.
"I wish that it all could have played out in a less political way," councilwoman Kelly Kautz said. "But I think the council now works better together than in the past."
The Cremation Society of the South has made changes, too: Nuzum left the company late last year because of a "personnel matter," and the board of directors renamed the company SouthCare Cremation Society.
"We're glad that it's all behind us," said Tom Taylor, president of SouthCare. "The death care industry is something people are squeamish about. ... We think we provide a valuable service."
Nuzum didn't respond to numerous messages left at his home.
A few homes away from the intersection of U.S. 78 and Abington, longtime resident Larry Finney said the controversy brought the neighborhood closer together and made people more politically engaged. That infamous vacant house on the corner doesn't bother him all that much anymore.
"I thank the Lord for what happened," Finney said. "It all came out for the best."
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