by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
In what’s being called a “win/win situation” for all parties, a historic Jacksonville home will be uprooted and relocated, by about 30 yards.
Resting on stilts behind the Shell gas station on the corner of St Johns Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, the home begins its hour-long trek across the street today. According to City Council member Michael Corrigan, site preparation and a preliminary move to the edge of its current Shell-owned lot took place earlier this week.
“Shell wanted to expand its operations and this will allow them to do that without tearing the house down,” said Corrigan, adding this may not be the first time it has been moved. “[The relocation] really is a good thing because, after they’re finished, it’s going to be located behind a Blockbuster [Video] and it will create a buffer between it and the residential community in the area.”
Corrigan, who said Shell has been “very cooperative” and “sensitive” to the issues surrounding historical properties, said talks of moving the home have been ongoing for over a year.
“It’s been a long process and I actually learned about it while I was campaigning last year,” he said. “I know [former Council member and current property appraiser] Jim Overton had been involved with it and it just takes time to go through all the necessary permitting.”
Barring complications, the house should settle on its newly-poured foundation within “several weeks.”
According to Corrigan, perhaps most unique thing about the home is that it was originally ordered from a Sears catalog and shipped by train to Jacksonville.
“From what I understand it wasn’t unlike ordering a shirt or pants,” he said. “They delivered all the parts by rail with the instructions for how to put it together. I guess that’s just the way it was done back then.
“I would just like to add that I applaud everyone involved for putting forward such a great amount of effort to make this happen. It wasn’t easy, but we have been able to keep the home intact, and more importantly, in the neighborhood where it belongs.”