PERRY, Ga. — The Perry Hotel is under new ownership, and that new ownership intends to demolish the long-standing landmark.
More than 400 people and The Georgia Trust of Historic Preservation have spoken in opposition to the New Perry Hotel being torn down. The building is on the National Registry of Historic Places, though that doesn't make it safe from demolition.
The new owners, Triple P Holdings, hope to tear it down and create space for retail, office and living space. The Main Street Advisory Board approved the new owner's Certificate of Appropriateness application to tear down the building, but not everyone is ready to say goodbye to the landmark.
Cathy Alvord works in downtown Perry and is familiar with the building.
"It's very sad. It's neglected. It would need a lot of TLC to get to operating condition," she said.
However, she said her memories of the landmark aren't filled with its current state.
"It was busy," she said, recalling a lunch she attended at the museum. "The food was good. I wasn't used to sweet tea, so that was kind of a shock but it was just a good introduction to Georgia."
Now her sweet introduction could be getting new life. Its owners plan to tear it down and build a shopping space on the first floor, an office space on the second and apartments on top. The drawing submitted to the MSAB also includes retail space on the grounds.
"I don't think we want to be like everywhere else, where things are new all the time. We want to preserve and save what we can," Alvord said.
Many others agree, including preservationist Caitlin Mee.
"There is still so much life left in the New Perry Hotel," Mee shared.
Mee says putting in lofts would take away from the character of Perry. She also thinks the city should take heed to the amount of opposition.
"Especially for a community that has passed a preservation ordinance and have assembled a preservation commission I would question the cities value system as to what matters as far as historic buildings and character that makes Perry, Perry, if they're so willing to demolish such an iconic building right here on the square," she said.
Meeting records show the Main Street Advisory Board and the owner Danny Rosales say the building is in bad condition. It needs asbestos removal, and past owners have found the building to be beyond repair.
Mee disagrees and says more plans should have been submitted at the June meeting before the board approved the demolition.
"I would urge the city to reconsider the decision of the Main Street Advisory Board," Mee said.
13WMAZ obtained a copy of the drafted meeting minutes. In the documents, it shows that the community development director asked how much of the post-demolition plans the board wanted to see before making a decision, but board members moved forward with a vote based on an initial rendering.
Mee and Alvord agree preservation should be kept in mind.
"If the property owners are not in the place, there are people out there who will purchase the property who are preservation-minded," Mee shared.
We did try to speak with Danny Rosales. We went to his office on Ball Street. His staff told us he wasn't in and would not speak to us.
Rosales will still have to submit a few documents to the Community Development Office before he receives his official demolition permit.
The city also declined an interview. They sent us this statement.
“As we celebrate Perry’s 200th Birthday, we reflect on our rich heritage and cherished memories of Perry’s past. The New Perry Hotel serves as a nostalgic reminder of bygone eras while holding a special place in the hearts of Perry’s past and present residents.
Regrettably, the New Perry Hotel has remained vacant for many years and is in a state of disrepair. We are confident the current property owners have a vision for redevelopment which respects Perry’s legacy and meets the quality standards expected by the Perry community.
Just as we honor the visionaries who laid the foundation for Perry’s success, we must also embrace the responsibility of ensuring that Perry remains a dynamic and thriving community for future generations.”