Every day, Burnette Avakian drives past the pale green Victorian on Seventh Street North and stares at its vacant windows, longing to see light. It”s out of her way, this side trip, but she is drawn to the “ugly duckling” known as Friendship House. It reminds her of her late husband, NoNo Avakian, and a dream they once shared. It reminds her to keep hope, even when the future seems darkly uncertain.
Avakian, who owns Shadowlawn Bed and Breakfast on College Street, is one of several local residents who say they”ve offered to buy the derelict property from First Baptist Church, but her two-page, hand-delivered contract proposal was “respectfully declined” without explanation or counter-offer. At one time, the congregation used the structure as a senior activity center. It even briefly housed the pastor, Shawn Parker, when he first arrived in Columbus, and served as a shelter for Hurricane Katrina refugees.
But now, as the church prepares to move to a new campus on Bluecutt Road, the house has outlived its usefulness. It hasn”t had electricity or running water for six years. The rooms are littered with a mish-mash of detritus. The porch floors sag. It would require extensive renovation in order to be habitable again. Though it had been for sale, the sale signs have been removed. First Baptist received a demolition permit March 28, and Avakian — along with a handful of other concerned residents — fears that will be the final chapter in Friendship House”s storied history.
She sat in her living room at Shadowlawn Monday afternoon and stared at the paintings and books, still tagged from a recent sale. They were cherished items she and her husband had collected, and though it”s hard to let them go, she feels she has no choice since his death last year.
The 6,600-square-foot antebellum is too big to take care of alone, and the memories of NoNo are too strong. She wants to move somewhere smaller. She wants to move somewhere that needs a little love, somewhere that needs someone like her who can lavish the time and money to make it beautiful once more. She wants to buy Friendship House, just as she and NoNo used to talk about doing.
Her eyes filled with tears as she talked about her dreams for the home and her bewilderment over First Baptist”s reaction to potential buyers.
“You have to draw the line between money being the God or choosing to do the right thing for the community,” Avakian said.
Pat Kaye, who owns Camellia Place, just a few doors down from Friendship House, tried to buy the property in March. Thinking perhaps Avakian”s offer wasn”t attractive enough, she offered considerably more — $35,000. She says a church member, Steve McEwen, told her the church would send a letter, but so far, she”s received no response.
“It”s greed for the land,” she said.
She, like Avakian, believes First Baptist board members wanted to demolish Friendship House from the beginning in order to add the lot to the church and put both up for sale, making a more attractive parcel. Because the structure is in a historic district, the Columbus Historic Preservation Commission issued a six-month stay of demolition during which time they were required to seek ways to save the house, including rehabilitation or sale. Once the 180-day time period passed, First Baptist”s business administrator, Thomas Southerland, returned to the board and said they had “exhausted all avenues,” and he was granted a demolition permit.
Southerland, along with pastor Shawn Parker, did not return phone messages from the Dispatch on Monday.
The situation has put “a negative cloud” over the church, says member Cathy Howell. She has been part of the 1,200-member congregation more than five years, but she says if the church moves forward with demolition plans, she may leave. She knows one thing for sure — if and when the bulldozers arrive, she plans to stand in front of Friendship House and block their path.
“It”s a pretty structure, and it enhances the street,” she said Monday afternoon. “It tells the story of Columbus. Especially if there are people willing to put time and effort into it, there”s no need to tear it down.”
Some residents have suggested that if the church gave the house to someone who would move it, all parties would win.
As for Avakian and Kaye, they plan to continue their campaign to save Friendship House and make other local residents aware of its potential fate. On Sunday morning, church members were met by Kaye and a handful of other supporters who marched up and down the sidewalk between First Baptist and Friendship House, waving signs. They”ve received a permit to place a “Save Friendship House” sign on the sidewalk. They”ve created a Facebook page called “Save the Friendship House.” Everywhere they go, they talk to people, gather support, and try to figure out what to do next.
With every step, Avakian continues to dream. She envisions Friendship House as a bed and breakfast as well as a venue for small weddings, rehearsals and other social functions.
“I haven”t given up on this, and I know NoNo would be right there with us,” she said. “There have to be people who will stand up and make changes in this world for the betterment of the community.”
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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