Famous Movie House Move Delayed

Fairhope, Alabama thefairhopetimes.blogspot.com 

 

November 2025

 

Relocation site (Lot 11)

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THIRD KIND

The city council approved a request by owners to delay the relocation of the famous Close Encounters house on Hwy 181 for six month to allow more time for details of the move to be worked out. 

Applicant is Encounter Development Llc.; Jade Consulting is project engineer.

A site plan for the move was approved in November of 2024; it expires after one year. The house is to be used as office space, per the earlier discussions.


From a October 2024 FT report:

During its next meeting,  the planning commission is expected to ok a plan by owner Encounter Development Llc.  to move the famous 'Close Encounters' movie house from its current location on Hwy 181 (lot # 6) -- to the back of the property near the eastern Hwy 104 entrance (lot # 11).

The move was discussed in meetings when the project was approved in 2022; the city's preservation committee and an online movie fan club had advocated for its preservation too.

Director Stephen Spielberg used the house in the blockbuster, 1977 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' movie, and it became known later as the 'Jillian House' where a small boy was abducted by the aliens.

Locals know it better as the old Rockwell family farm homestead.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Wouldn’t it be quicker and better just to tear it down?
Anonymous said…
Yep a lot easier. Make the social media mob mad at them though ....
Anonymous said…
Why is this dragging on for so long? Lets get it done.
Anonymous said…
This wasn't Tara, wasn't a "character" in the movie. What a waste of time and energy for an unremarkable location in a dated movie. "Smokey and the Bandit" made more money that year, and holds up better today. I'd rather have Bandit's TransAm parked on the corner of Fairhope and Bancroft.
Anonymous said…
"Eastbound and Down"!