Historic Macon seeks public input for next Fading Five list

Some once-magnificent buildings in Macon face threats of neglect and demolition with passing decades, but the Historic Macon Foundation hopes to save least five properties that are rich with historical value.

The public is invited to make nominations for the foundation’s Fading Five list, which comprises five of Macon-Bibb’s most endangered sites or structures in need of preservation, according to a Wednesday news release from the foundation. The foundation will work with the owners of each building on the list to develop a plan for restoring the structure and find new owners and uses.

The deadline for submissions is July 1, the release said. The five properties selected for this year’s list will be announced in August 2016. A new list is released each year, with buildings remaining on the plan until a resolution is reached or preservation is no longer possible.

Of the properties on the inaugural Fading Five list announced last year, three of them were saved within four months after being announced in August 2015. Those properties are the Bonnybrae-Bedgood House at 1073 Georgia Ave., which was purchased by a couple who plans to live in it after it’s restored; Schofield Iron Works at 500, 513 and 521 Fifth St., which was purchased by the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority; the Ware House at 1107 Oglethorpe St., which is being renovated by Historic Macon and will be sold as a single-family home.

Alexander IV Elementary School at 3769 Ridge Ave. was also on the first Fading Five list. In April, more than 150 attended a public meeting at the school to give input on the future of the building, which has been a landmark in Macon’s Vine-Ingle neighborhood for more than 80 years. Recently, the old school was purchased by the Macon-Bibb County Land Bank Authority using blight bond funds.

“We’ll find a developer, hopefully by the end of this summer, to redevelop that property,” said Ethiel Garlington, executive director of Historic Macon, said of the school.

The Cotton Avenue District, downtown on Forsyth Street near the H&H Restaurant, is the only remaining property from last year’s Fading Five list that has yet to be officially saved. To showcase the historic area, the foundation recently produced walking brochures for pedestrians to tour independently.

On Tuesday evening, the Macon-Bibb County Commission unanimously approved a resolution asking the planning and zoning commission to make Cotton Avenue its own historic district. Should that district be established, Garlington said it would be a big step toward preservation because it would help deter demolition.

“If Cotton Avenue isn’t saved, then it will stay on (the Fading Five list) and we’ll just have four new ones,” Garlington said.

The area lost two older buildings, the Douglass House and Tremont Temple Baptist Church, in 2014 despite efforts to save them before they were torn down to make room for new businesses. The loss of the historic buildings helped drive the creation of the Fading Five list, Garlington said.

“The success of our inaugural Fading Five list shows that the community is invested in saving Macon-Bibb’s historic resources,” Garlington said in the news release. “The nomination process is essential to creating a list that matters to our community. This is an opportunity for citizens to participate in the preservation process and identify properties that need attention.”

Nominations for the next Fading Five list should include the following information:

• The street address of the endangered property and, if applicable, its name.
• A photo of property in its current state.
• The nature of the threat to the property and its current condition.
• The name and contact information for the individual or group submitting the nomination.
• Name and contact information for the current property owner (if available)
• Any known historical information about the property including but not limited to the year it was built, architect, past owners, etc.

Nomination forms can be submitted online at www.historicmacon.org. Downloaded nomination forms should be emailed tokcampbell@historicmacon.org with the subject line “Macon’s Fading Five.” Submissions may also be mailed to PO Box 13358, Macon, GA 31208.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Historic Macon seeks public input for next Fading Five list."