Needing a time out

Chi Phi's decision to abandon renovating Arnocroft due to the expense of such a project would be less troubling if it wasn't for the fact that the fraternity didn't actually do the necessary leg work to identify a cost.

The group met with a pair of Athens-Clarke County commissioners and various neighborhood representatives last summer to express their intent to preserve the existing structure, as well as relocate their old house to the new site near Five Points. In addition, they met with various other representatives and organizations, including the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation, and unequivocably stated they intended to not only save Arnocroft, but also utilize the building for the fraternity's educational trust fund offices.

But there was nothing to those pledges because the fraternity had absolutely no idea of how much it would cost to renovate the structure. Seeing how they hadn't done their homework, it made it easy for them to go around and tell everyone they planned to keep the building.

Chi Phi was writing checks it couldn't cash or, apparently, never had any intention of signing.

This is an attempt, it seems, by the fraternity to simply try and squeeze in a new set of plans - ones which include the removal of a house that is a contributing structure to an existing historic district - before binding legislation affirming the creation of the local district can be passed.

To an extent, this has already happened within the past six months by another Greek entity.

Prior to the passage of the existing moratorium for Milledge Avenue, the Delta Delta Delta sorority acquired a Spanish Colonial home dating back to the 1920s at an adjacent lot. The sorority initially intended to demolish the structure to make room for an expansion of its existing house, but settled on selling the building to local caterer Lee Epting who moved it to the northwest part of the county.

Sorority adviser Sherry Gaby told the Athens Banner-Herald that the lot was intended to be turned into a greenspace area that could be used for special events ...

The sorority has no plans to pave over the lot for parking, adviser Sherry Gaby said. It will be used as greenspace and to hold charity events, Gaby said.

"It's going to be so much more beautiful than it's been," she said.

The relocation of that property was the wake-up call for preservationists. And while the sorority ought to be commended for its proactive negotiations with Athens-Clarke County commissioners, preservation advocates and neighborhood representatives - the sorority retooled its proposed expansion to avoid encroaching on the very greenspace it proposed and settled on a design more in line with the character of its existing structure - the relocation of the original house was another sign of disrespect for that corridor.

A temporary moratorium went into effect shortly after the move before being approved earlier this year to run through next spring. It was passed precisely so the community could, quite frankly, call a time out regarding development along that corridor and give it time to craft an appropriate ordinance establishing Milledge Avenue as a local historic district.

The character and history of Milledge Avenue is defined by the storied buildings that are rich with tradition and steeped in beauty. The demolition or removal of those buildings, particularly during a process launched by the community aimed at preserving them, depletes the area of that charm.