Board hears timeline for Raven Fuller (Garrett) House lift and relocation

The Montgomery Economic Development Corporation received an update on the Raven Fuller House (also called the Garrett House), including a timeline for moving and rehabilitation. Grant, the project presenter, said crews have completed siting and foundation design and expect to “start building the foundation for that within probably the next 2 weeks.”

Grant described the rehabilitation plan as including a full wraparound porch built to ADA standards so the building will present cohesively with the museum on Highway 149 and Caroline. He said structural engineers completed a first-stage review and found the house “came back really clean,” noting only “one of the walls apparently has gotten wet” where the roof connects and a bulge on the east side that will be addressed during stabilization. He estimated the moving portion of the work would take about five to six days and about two weeks total for setup and lift operations, weather permitting.

Board members asked about setbacks and alignment with nearby buildings; Grant said the highway side setback is 25 feet and the house will be positioned to visually align with the neighboring museum. He also flagged downtown wayfinding and park signs being manufactured for delivery in August as related public-works activity that will accompany the project.

The project manager indicated further structural inspections will occur after the lift to confirm the underside and utility access before finishing work begins. No formal action was taken; the update was informational and the board proceeded to other agenda items.