Springdale Continues Consideration Of Lodge, Land Purchase

— The possibility still exists for the city to buy land that includes Rabbits Foot Lodge, although City Council members asked steps be taken before the purchase is considered.

During Monday's committee meeting, aldermen asked Mayor Doug Sprouse to have an appraisal done of the 40 acres east of Silent Grove Road. The property includes Rabbits Foot Lodge, a historic two-story log cabin.

At A Glance

Springdale National Register of Historic Places

• Beely-Johnson American Legion post, 200 N. Spring St

• Fishback School, Butterfield Coach Road

• Fitzgerald Station and Farmstead, 2327 Old Wire Road and 1567 Dodd Ave.

• Craftsman Bungalow House, 712 N. Mill St.

• Old Springdale High School, Johnson Street

• Price Produce and Filling Station, 413, 415 and 417 E. Emma Ave.

• Rabbits Foot Lodge, 2711 Silent Grove Road

• Shiloh Meeting Hall, Huntsville Avenue and Main Street

• Shiloh Historic District, bounded by Spring Creek, Shiloh, Main, Johnson, and Mills Streets

• Springdale Poultry Industry Historic District, 317 & 319 E. Emma and 316 E. Meadow avenues

• McCleod House, Rt. 1 north of Springdale

Source: Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

Karen Morton, owner, offered the property to the city for $1.05 million. A purchase would have to be approved by the council, Sprouse said.

The council may have to decide on the purchase by May, Sprouse said.

The land would be used as a passive park, with few changes, Sprouse said. The lodge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, could be rented for meetings and retreats, he said.

The lodge, built in 1908, was once the home of former Sen. J. William Fulbright. The property has a spring that was once the city's water source.

Mike Overton, alderman, called the purchase a chance to preserve some of the city's past.

"We've not done a good job of preserving our history," Overton said. "We've been a throw-away city. This is a chance to do a better job."

Other council members said the location -- between J.B. Hunt Park and Lake Springdale -- is the primary reason to buy the land.

"We can get land that's in a good location for our parks," said Jeff Watson, alderman. "We have to see what use we can get from the building on it."

One resident asked if using the lodge for meetings would change fire and building code requirements.

Mike Chamlee, director of building inspection, and Duane Miller, fire marshal, said they would have to know what use was planned for the lodge and examine it to see if changes are needed.

There's more leeway to apply codes to historic buildings, Miller said, if any changes would affect its preservation.

"Log cabins are very strong buildings," Miller said. "It shouldn't have many problems there."

"If they make a bunch of changes, would it have to come off the historic register?" said David Arthur. "I don't want the city to screw it up."

Jim Reed, alderman, proposed letting the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History board oversee the lodge. That idea made Arthur, who attended Monday's meeting, feel better, he said.

"People at the museum know how to take care of historic buildings," Arthur said. "If they don't know an answer to a question, they know an expert that does." Alderwoman Kathy Jaycox asked for the inspection of the lodge. She also asked for a plan on what would be done with the lodge.

The timeline wouldn't allow a management plan to be done, Sprouse said, but help from other organizations and foundations is being sought.

Alderman Brad Bruns said he wants an appraisal of the land. He also asked the purchase not be made until after bids for the development of two new parks are in.

The city bought park land in the northwest and southeast areas with money raised by a bond sale. A 1 percent sales tax will repay them.

Buying the lodge and land would come from money reserved in the city's Capital Improvement Program fund for parks. The reserve had $1.59 million at the end of 2013 and about $1.7 million at the end of February, Sprouse said. Money is reserved each month for parks, for about$200,000 per year.

No bond money would be used to buy the lodge and the property around it, Sprouse said.

NW News on 03/05/2014

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