From Ernest Blevins, Blevins Historical Research:
Please consider signing the petition linked below at The Petition Site
to save the Old Villa Rica Library.http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/682492309
The historically valuable Old Library (also known and the Clinic)is under threat to be town down. This 1951 the International style building was built to be the new city library. It is significant as the earliest International style building in West Georgia. This structure predates the old Douglas Courthouse which is on the National Register of Historic Places by about 6 years. It is a cornerstone for a future National Register Historic District south of the tracks. Saving the structure demonstrates a belief in historic preservation which will be favorable to the goal of becoming a Main Street City.
The library can be renovated with grants for preservation of this locally valuable resource. It can be continued to be used for a medical clinic and community services or can be a good site for a museum that focus on the downtown area or the development of the importance of Bankhead Highway.
More information is available at
http://members.cchat.com/blevins/VRLibrary.htmlPlease preserve this valuable piece of modern architecture for future generations.
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January 27, 2007 at 7:22 pm
moderngeorgia
An update from Ernest Blevins:
Fellow Historic Preservationists:
As many of you know the City of Villa Rica has a 1951 International Style building known as the Old Library or Old Clinic. It predates the 1956 National Register Listed Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville just 10 or so miles east. The Old Library is National Register eligible and in the proposed NR district I have worked on. This structure has appeared in Georgia DOCOMOMO, Kennesaw’s Threatened Sites, and published myself several times locally of which one version is attached below this plea.
Several times this structure has been threatened with demolition. I did a parking survey for three different years in 2003, 2005, and 2006 demonstrating that only 30% of downtown parking is utilized at any average moment. To this Council Woody Holland says there is a need for more parking and the historic building should be torn down. Councilman/Mayor Pro Tem Verland Best said in the paper “In my opinion , the day the health department moved into their new facility, the next morning at 7 AM we back the dump trucks in and we take both (the health department ant eh fire department buildings down the same day.” The old fire department is not a historic building and is in poor shape.
Today I picked up this week’s Villa Rican, the local weekly paper that regularly does publish my commentary on history and historic preservation, to find that the City council is now considering demolishing this building. “Other members of council said the first priority is to get the building torn down. Once that ‘s complete they said a decision can be made as to what to do with the building.” This is irresponsible for a town that is hoping to become a Main Street town in February. Furthermore, the headline above the story states how construction on the parking spaces along the railroad will provide 90 new spaces. I designed the concept drawings for this and had 80 so I guess they found 10 more spaces.
You can see the original article, along with some history and historical importance of the Old Library here: http://highlands.edu/academics/divisions/socialcultural/history/eblevins/oldlibrary.html
I submitted three years ago a historic preservation ordinance that would address this, only now is the new city manger looking at it, but it would be doubtful if it would pass in time to prevent the demolition of the building.
I request anyone on this list to please help me educate the city. Please contact Mayor Jay Collins at jaycollins@bellsouth.net and council members Verland Best (Ward 2, Mayor Pro Tem) at vbest@villarica.org, Danny Carter (Ward 1) at dcarter@villarica.org, Perry Amidon (Ward 3) at pamidon@villarica.org; Joseph Kelly (Ward 4) jkelley@villarica.org, and Woody Holland (Ward 5) wholland@villarica.org. The city manger is Danny Mabry at dmabry@villarica.org. It might also be beneficial to contact Barbara Daniell who is the Tourism/Downtown Development Manager at bdaniell@villarica.org.
In addition, the City of Villa Rica has been in the process of applying for Main Street status. I am submitting my letter rescinding my original letter of recommendation and support in light of this article and the quotes in it. I do not feel that the City has a the Historic Preservation ethic which it did when I wrote it which included a belief that there was consideration for saving the Old Library.
Also please encourage the Historic Preservation Committee of the Downtown Development Authority to speak out against this. At this time all but me do not think it this building is valuable – even though some are related to the original owner. The committee, including myself, can be sent a message:
Ernest Everett Blevins at blevins@alumni.cofc.edu
Barbara Daniell at bdaniell@villarica.org (although she is a member of the City staff and will not be able to officially make any comment it will be useful for her to know)
Patricia Proctor at PProctor45@hotmail.com
Valarie Wilhelm at valeriewilhelm@hotmail.com
I feel that if the Historic Preservation Committee does not speak out on this building being demolished then they should consider ceasing operation. The next meeting of the committee is at 2:00 PM on 5 February 2007 at City Hall , 571 West Bankhead Highway, Villa Rica, Georgia 30810.
The next city council meeting will be 6 February 2006 in the Courtroom on Main Street, Villa Rica.
If possible, please carbon copy me at blevins@alumni.cofc.edu so that I can know the response and can point it out to the council and press.
Thank you for your attention to this. Please forward widely.
Ernie
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Ernest Everett Blevins, MFA
Blevins Historical Research
110 Evergreen Way
Villa Rica, Georgia 30180
770-456-1876
http://blevinshistoricalresearch.com
Historic Preservation Consultant — Historical and Architectural Research — Genealogical (Family) Research — Preservation Planning and Documentation — House History
Member: Association of Professional Genealogists, Georgia Association of Professional Genealogists, Ambassador of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Historian: Casimir Pulaski SAR, Registrar: Georgia Society of Founders & Patriots, and member of numerous other lineage and heritage societies.