By MADDY VITALE
A historic home in Ocean City built when President Teddy Roosevelt was in office may not be around much longer.
A large purple sign displayed at the front of the four-story home at 615 Wesley Ave. warns that it has six months from Jan. 30 before it will be demolished.
That is unless a buyer comes in and saves the piece of history in the city’s Historic District from being leveled.
The Ocean City Historic Preservation Commission denied a demolition permit in September, and the city’s Zoning Board upheld the decision.
But the measure is only temporary. The home, built in 1902, would have to be purchased to avoid demolition.
Mayor Jay Gillian and other city officials have voiced support in saving the home because of its historic significance.
The homes in the city’s Historic District go back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The district stretches between Third and Eighth streets and Central and Ocean avenues.
“I received a number of emails this week inquiring about the potential demolition of a historic home on the 600 block of Wesley Avenue,” Gillian said in a Feb. 5 statement. “The property is part of our Historic District, which is governed by ordinances designed to preserve the character of the neighborhoods near the Ocean City Tabernacle, where Ocean City was founded and first settled.”
Gillian continued, “Our Historic Preservation Commission denied an application to demolish the structure, and that triggered a period where the property must be offered for sale to somebody who would want to preserve it. Our commission chair will seek the owner’s appraisals to make sure the property is being listed at fair market value. This is the procedure outlined in our ordinances.”
The five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home is on the market for $999,000 and has more than 5,250 square feet of space, according to real estate records. Over the years the home has served as the Genevieve Guest House and the Koo-Koo’s Nest bed and breakfast.
The property is deteriorated and the home needs rehabilitation to bring it back to its original splendor. A dilapidated fence, peeling paint and overgrown yard partially conceal the home.
However, the mansard roof and other architectural embellishments visible from the street tell a story of a home that once was on par with other historic residences that line Wesley Avenue.
Historic Preservation Commission Chairman John Loeper stressed in a prior interview with OCNJDaily.com that it would be a shame to lose the home in the Historic District. He said the structure should and could be restored.
“It is capable of being rehabbed and hopefully a new owner will come through and purchase it and do the right thing for the house, rather than demolish it because of neglect,” Loeper said.
Back in September, the Historic Preservation Commission denied the property owner’s request for permission to tear down the home to make way for a duplex.
The city’s administrative officer also refused a demolition permit in October. The owner then went to the Zoning Board to appeal the decision. In December, the Zoning Board upheld the Historic Preservation Commission’s ruling.
Avery Teitler, an attorney for the owner, a group called RJGVB LLC of Shippensburg, Pa., could not be reached for comment.
