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Council pauses demolition for 33 W. Fred Gray Ave. to allow historic review
Summary
Councilors asked staff to verify whether 33 W. Fred Gray Ave. is on the National Register of Historic Places and agreed to delay demolition proceedings for 30 days to consult preservation authorities and interested parties.
The Montgomery City Council voted to hold demolition proceedings for certain unsafe structures while pulling one property — 33 W. Fred Gray Ave. — for 30 days so preservation staff and outside groups could investigate the property's historic status.
Councilors and members of the preservation office flagged 33 W. Fred Gray Ave. as a potentially significant antebellum house and asked staff to consult the Alabama Historical Commission and local preservation stakeholders before proceeding. The building official advised the council that if a structure is in dangerous condition the building official may still act, but staff requested time to explore preservation options.
The nut graf: Concerned residents and preservation advocates had contacted council members after the property was listed for demolition. Council members said they did not want to delay the city's broader unsafe-structure cleanup but wanted to ensure the city had vetted the building’s historic designation and any preservation budget or plan before authorizing demolition.
Council motion: The council carried a motion (unanimous) to verify the building’s historic registry status and to delay demolition of 33 W. Fred Gray Ave. for 30 days so staff can consult preservation authorities and report back. Other addresses on the demolition list remained on the agenda and were advanced subject to verification of correct addresses.
Staff asked preservation and building officials to prepare any feasible plan and the budget implications of repair or stabilization for council consideration within the 30-day period.
