Winder Historic Preservation Commission Votes in Favor of Old Granite Hotel Demolition

• Who met: Winder Historic Preservation Commission
• Where: 
• When: Thursday, July 21, 2011
• Who was present: Commission members Freta Crawford, Elaine Dickens, Sarah Lovin, Wayne Parker and Chairman Troy Hensley; City Planning Director Barry Edgar; Downtown Development Authority Chairman Mike Rice
• Top business:

The Historic Preservation Commission voted 4-1 on Thursday in favor of in downtown Winder.

The commission began its discussion on the property by inviting residents in attendance to address the commission if they wished.

Winder resident Michael Thompson spoke on behalf of the hotel, which he referred to as “probably one of the most historic buildings in Winder worth saving.” Thompson continued by saying, “When you drive through old towns, what people like to see is old buildings.”

Thompson pleaded for more time to attempt to garner public support for the building.

“If the issue were presented the right way I know people would get involved," he said.

Commission Chairman Troy Hensley responded, saying, “What is driving this (demolition) is the economy. The big concern is that money would be going into a building that is un-rentable.

Hensley said the “committee will not take this decision lightly.”

Helen Person, chair of the Barrow County Historic Preservation Society Inc., followed Thompson, saying the root of the issue is that the commission did not enforce the city’s preservation ordinance on the previous owners of the hotel concerning the maintenance of the building.

“Right now it is affecting area businesses only because the previous and current owners have allowed the building to get into disrepair," she said.

According to Downtown Development Authority Chairman Mike Rice, the authority purchased the hotel with the intention of turning it into a parking lot. The authority and the Winder City Council voted to tear it down.

“My intentions are to tear it down," Rice said."I grew up here — it means a loss. I like the building.”

Rice said the road to demolition experienced several bumps due to groups such as the one chaired by Person.

With previous approval by the city council and the downtown development authority, the commission vote was, as Hensley said, a “vote of conscience.”

Any effort the commission may put into stalling the demolition could be vetoed by the city council.

This vote represents the final decision about the fate of the Old Granite Hotel. Rice said there are many steps to be taken before demolition will occur.

• Other business: 

The commission heard from the contractor employed by Dollar General concerning the appropriateness of the new Dollar General building to be located between 151 and 163 W. Athens St. The commission requested new plans and ideas that represent a pitched roof required by the city to keep the historic aesthetic of businesses within the historic district. A vote was postponed until those plans are delivered. 

The Winder Historic Preservation Commission will next again at 11 a.m. Sept. 15 at the Winder Community Center.