Anyone interested in possibly buying an old city building?

The Little Red Schoolhouse on West Washington Street in Athens may be put up for sale, a majority of City Council members agree.

Council members recently discussed the future of the schoolhouse at 313 W. Washington St. They also talked about plans for the Houston Memorial Library and Museum and the former Athens City Library on South Street.

The schoolhouse, also known as the Scout House, used to house the Athens City Schools superintendent’s office until city schools opened a new central office at 455 U.S. 31 North in 2012. Leaking wood siding is causing problems at the old schoolhouse, requiring nearly all of the siding to need replacing, said Public Works Director James Rich.

The school, built in the 1930s as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration, used to have a swimming pool in back. It is now part of Beaty Historic District, which means anyone who buys it, should the council decide to try to sell it, would have to make improvements in accordance with historic district rules, such as no vinyl siding.

“I would like the council to consider just selling this,” District 2 Councilman Harold Wales said during a council work session Friday. “I cannot think of any reason that we need this as part of a city asset. Why not make one of the options that we would sell it. I would like an appraisal done…”

Council President Jimmy Gill agreed, saying that when one repairs an old building, such as the schoolhouse, they often find problems they did not anticipate, such as termites.

District 5 Councilman Wayne Harper concurred.

“If the city is going to spend a lot of money repairing it, then I think we should have a use for it and we don’t,” Harper said. “If we don’t have anything lined up (lease arrangement) and we spend a lot of money on the building, then we’ll probably let somebody have it for free (use it for little or no money). I agree with Harold that we should sell it to someone who is interested in it and someone who will repair it.”

Rich said a lot of people make really nice residential properties from these types of structures.

Houston library

Council members discussed whether to replace the chimney at the Houston Memorial Library and Museum on 101 N. Houston St., or tear it down and, possibly, replace it later.

“We’ve got some rock to deal with and the chimney on the west side is coming loose from the building,” Rich said. “It has deteriorated to the point that it is a safety hazard or will be soon.”

City Grant Coordinator/Communications Specialist Holly Hollman said the city has received a $2,500 grant for repairing the chimney. The grant, should the council decide to repair the chimney, won’t go far.

“To take the chimney down and put it back up will cost about $25,000,” Rich said.

Replacing the chimney is not the only alternative. Rich said he spoke with the state historic commission and was told the chimney is not historically significant so it could be removed.

“We could remove it and not put it back up or put it back up at a later date if you want to,” he said.

The chimney has a mantle but is not functional, Rich said. If the city decides to make the chimney weather tight, it would also have to make the restrooms in the building comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, which would raise the project cost to a total of $45,000 to $50,000. If the city does not fix the chimney, the ADA compliance would cost $30,000 to $35,000, he said.

Hollman said if the city decided to tear down the chimney and not replace it, the grant might have to be returned.

Rich said siding would have to be installed in place of the chimney if it is torn down, something that might be allowable under the rules of the grant.

At least one council member questioned how much the Houston library and museum is used at all.

“Isn’t it almost a fact that the building is more of a museum now more than anything else?” Wales said. “People are not going in there to use that library. I don’t see any traffic. I’ve been to it recently and I was the only one there. With the chimney, the wise thing would be if it is not going to affect the historical value then just leave it off.”

Gill opted not to talk about the Houston library, saying, “The Houston library? I have no comment.”

After the meeting, Gill explained he declined to comment because he believes the library is not widely used.

South Street library

As for the former Athens library at 405 E. South St., council members seem to be leaning toward leasing it to city schools for use as the home for the Renaissance School. The Renaissance School is a one-on-one school environment for junior Olympics, students whose injuries might prevent them from sitting all day and other students not best suited for a traditional classroom setting, according to Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay. It is not an alternative school for students with behavorial or special needs.

The old library, the books and furniture from which was moved to the new Athens-Limestone Public Library on Jefferson Street, has been cleaned out, but stands empty.

Gill said he would like the city to work out a contract with the schools for this building, which is about 10,000 square feet.

“I want to read the contract,” Wales aid. “That is a nice building and I don’t want to give the building away.”

Rich said the old library, which is located in a residential area, should be rezoned institutional to reflect its use should the schools lease it.