MACON, Ga. — A few weeks ago, Vineville neighbors showed up in droves to a planning and zoning meeting to dispute the possible demolition of a house some feel is historic.
Some say it's the home of the first woman ever to receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited school. Others in the neighborhood just worry the Big House Foundation's footprint in the community has grown a bit too much. They worry about swirling rumors surrounding an amphitheater that would be built in the house's place, but the foundation says it would be a garden.
Either way, the zoning board voted it down, and sent the Big House back to the drawing board.
This week, some Vineville neighbors noticed demolition in the area around that house. They called 13WMAZ to ask what was going on, and we spent the past couple of days gathering information. We set out to Verify.
Our sources are Macon-Bibb Chief Building Official Daniel Brown, a letter from the Vineville Neighborhood Association, Macon-Bibb tax records and Big House Executive Director Richard Brent.
Ask Ron Lemon a question about Vineville, and he probably knows the answer. Lemon lives just around the corner from the Big House. He fell in love with the neighborhood 22 years ago.
"Fell in love with a historic old house. I went and looked at it on an open house and walked in the door, and I knew I was in trouble after that," Lemon said.
It hasn't all been roses in Historic Vineville.
"We feel like we haven't always been on the same page. With the Big House, the city, Historic Macon, our neighborhood association," Lemon said. "When the truck shows up, that's when we all start learning what's happening. And unfortunately, that's been the way things have gone all along."
Neighbors felt more of that this week as a demolition crew knocked down an accessory building behind two of the Big House properties. Some neighbors worried the demolition happened at 2353 Vineville, which has been under dispute for years. The Vineville Neighborhood Association sent out a letter to folks in the area confirming the demolition at 2363 Vineville, next door.
Richard Brent with the Big House told 13WMAZ the same. We called Chief Building Official Daniel Brown, who confirmed there was a valid demolition permit at 2363. Tax records confirm 2363 has, or had, an extra building, and 2353 did not.
Even though that controversial house is safe for now, it does worry Lemon and other neighbors who say they just want to be in the loop.
"We aren't against changes necessarily, but when you're going to demolish a historic house from the 1850s, that's a big deal. And again, this is the face of our neighborhood right here. And if we can do anything to preserve that façade of that house, we want to do that at all costs," Lemon said.
So we can Verify that yes, that demolition happened behind 2363 Vineville, and not 2353, which is the house the Big House originally wanted to demolish. We can also Verify that yes, the demolition permit was valid.
The Big House Foundation says they currently do not have any new plans for the house at 2353 Vineville. Any new plans would likely have to go before the planning and zoning commission.