The fate of the old Treasurer’s Office on Weber Street in Hopkinsville remains up in the air, after county officials have heard from numerous citizens who are against its possible demolition.
Known as the Weber Street building, it was built in 1839 and has stood there ever since, serving as the home to numerous law offices, businesses, a doctor’s office and a restaurant before coming under the ownership of Christian County Government in 1968. From there it served as the treasurer’s office until that relocated to the former Christian County Sheriff’s Department building recently.
At a meeting of the Christian Fiscal Court on July 22, magistrates voted to mark that building as surplus property, with the understanding that it would likely face demolition due to its—what was called at that meeting—very poor condition.
Appearing on the WHOP Early Bird Show Wednesday morning, Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam says they’re pumping the brakes on the demolition plan to see if maybe a new owner could be found that would bring new life to the building.
Gilliam had previously stated that the existing lot would become ‘much needed’ parking for downtown, with the Alhambra Theatre and Sixth Street located nearby. He says they have since relocated most county government offices to a different location, but they’re still interested in knowing what would be located in the building.
He says in recent weeks they’ve had visitors that have toured the building and inspected the damage for themselves, and gotten a feel for what could be feasible for a potential buyer.
Work to establish a pre-bid package concerning the sale of the property is underway, and it would need to be something that fits in with the surrounding businesses and locations, says Gilliam, as that building is very near the heart of downtown Hopkinsville.