St. Pauls’ oldest house will soon come down to make room for St. Pauls’ newest house.
The home located at the corner of N. Old Stage Road and W. Broad Street, historically known as the Locke Shaw house, was constructed in the mid to late 1800’s on what was once St. Pauls’ main street, the stage road.
The new owner, Fadhl Alhobishi, originally wanted to construct a two-storey apartment block with four apartments where the house stands, but that idea was rejected by the Town. So, too, was an alternative plan to construct a duplex apartment there.
Actually, Alhobishi’s original plan was to renovate and save the old home, but once he began to inspect it, he uncovered severe termite damage and the contractor informed him that repairs, if possible, would be very expensive. So that renovation idea gave way to the apartment building idea.
Alhobishi, owner of Alhobishi Convenience Stores and Rentals, said the house was vacant when he bought it with the intention of remodeling it and leasing it after the repairs were made.
“But when I started the remodeling, and ripped up the kitchen floor to replace it, there was no way we could remodel this house. Termites had eaten it up, and it was in bad shape generally,” he said. “So I then decided to demolish it and try to build a two-storey, four apartment unit. I applied for a zoning permit to do this, but the town did not approve it. They did not want apartments there, only single family homes.
“So that is what I will build here, a single family home, once the Fire Department burns this house down as part of its training and practice. Once it is down and the lot cleared, I will build a house a little further back on the property, facing Broad Street, and then rent it.
“I hate to see an old house go down, but this one just could not be saved,” he said. “But it will make way for a nice new addition to St. Pauls on this very nice property.”
Post a Comment
