Historic Church Street Inn To Become Restaurant

Fairhope, Alabama


51 S. Church Street (SE corner of De La Mare)


FORMER BED & BREAKFAST

The Planning Commission unanimously approved recommending the city council rezone property located at 51 S. Church Street from B-1 to B-2  ... to allow it to be converted for use as a restaurant /bar (such usage is not permitted in B-1).

Larry Smith of S.E. Civil Engineering represented applicant JFL Holdings ( Jerry Lake of Gulf Shores) who stated in application documents provided,"does not wish to remove it or alter the historic appearance ... only change its use ... using internal modifications."


DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT  CONTRIBUTOR

The airplane bungalow style home, built in 1923, is referred to as the Irwin/Sandoz/Jones house: originally the home of the J.S. Irwin family.

 "Airplane Bungalow style dates from the early 20th century and grew out of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The Airplane Bungalow is similar to the Craftsman Bungalow, but the Airplane Bungalow is characterized by a “pop up” second floor, usually of one or two rooms; resembling a cockpit of an airplane. It may also refer to single story bungalows with low pitched roofs, wide sweeping open soffits that have dormers pointing out of the front of the roof resembling the cockpit of an airplane. The style is more popularly seen along the west coast of the United States and Southwestern and Western Canada."

Until its recent sale, for many decades  it was operated as the Church Street Inn by owners Bill and Becky Jones.


Smith standing
STAFF CONCERNED ABOUT HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

Planning staff recommended approval, but noted the city currently has no real protection for historic structures like this; commission chairman Turner agreed that nothing now prevents it from being "bulldozed," whatever the zoning.

(A Historic Preservation Ordinance was developed several years ago, but never enacted by city council.)

Turner added he thought other parcels zoned B-1 in the area should be B-2 as well.





Comments

Anonymous said…
Too small for a restaurant isn't it?
Anonymous said…
Maybe the house can be moved to another location.