News-Record.com

Suddenly, an old house in Fisher that has stood almost unnoticed for decades is attracting a flury of interest.

Located at 620 N. Elm St., across from First Presbyterian Church, the chuch bought the house 11 months ago. It offered it free to anyone who would move it. The church wants the space for parking.

Wednesday, to the relief of those Fisher Park residents who mourn the lose of any home in the historic neighborhood, a deal appeared to have been consummated. Fisher Park resident David Brossoit appeared before the Greensboro Historical Commission, which governs the Fisher Park Historic District, to ask approval to move the house.

Brossoit said he would pay to move the house several blocks to a vacant lot he and a partner, George Weldon, had contracted to buy at 204 W. Bessemer Ave., still inside the Fisher Park. Brossoit and Weldon would convert the house, used for offices during the past 25 years, back to a single-family dwelling.

The commission,after hearing guarantees that the trees displaced during the move would be replaced, granted approval. The decision was was conditioned on Brossoit meeting other city requirements for the move.

Thursday, after First Presbterian, learned of the commission's action, it sent an email to the News & Record that the house hadn't been given to Brossoit to move.

The church said a second party also was interested. The church didn't identify the party, but it turns out to be Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, a block south of First Presbyterian.

Robert Payne, a member of Holy Trinity's vestry, said the church might want to move the house to a lot on Smith Street, behind Holy Trinity. The house, he said, would help restore some of the lost residential look of Smith. The church would use the house for offices.

Payne stressed the vestry might not make a decision for several months. Ann Alexander of First Presbyterian Church said her church also wouldn't make a decision about the house for several more months.

City Planner Mike Cowhig, an advisor to the historic properties commission, said he and the commission members assumed that Brossoit had the church's permission to move the house. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been standing before the commission.

Brossoit said Friday he was not attempting to fool anyone. He was only trying to get a head start on the many municipal hoops he'll have to jump through if First Presbyterian gives him the house to move.

He said he contacted Mike Godwin, an attorney connected to the church, and told him he was going before the commission.

Godwin said he told Brossiot the church couldn't prevent him from going, but warned him he should make it clear that the church had not awarded him the house.

Cowhig and others who heard Brossoit's pitch to the commission said they don't recall him saying anything about First Presbyterian.

Thus, for the time being, the house will remain at 620 N. Elm. It has been there since 1930 when Margaret Gay moved in and lived there until the 1970s. Since then, the two-story, 3,000 square-foot dwelling has been occupied by accountants, counselors and psychologists.

Payne of Holy Trinity, a resident of Fisher Park who hates to see any old structure disappear, said with two parties interested in the house, a happy ending is assured.

"Whatever happens," he said, "the house will be saved."