CONWAY — The fate of a historic house at 2954 Prince St. in Conway could be decided Monday when the Conway Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. at the Russell L. “Jack” Roberts District Court Building, 810 Parkway in Conway. The meeting is open to the public.
The house, known as the Joe and Nina Webb House, was built around 1946 by the late Silas Owens Sr. of Solomon Grove (now a part of Twin Groves). Owens was an African-American stonemason who worked from 1938 to 1955 in and around Faulkner County.
The house is now owned by Joe Whisenhunt Sr. of Bee Branch, owner of Whisenhunt Investment Group in Little Rock.
Whisenhunt hopes to sell the property, which includes a detached garage as well as the house, to the Kroger Co. for expansion of its store, including the addition of gas pumps, at the intersection of Prince Street and Salem Road. If the sale goes through, it would mean the demolition, or removal, of the one-story rock house, which is on the National Register of Historic Sites.
“The Kroger/Whisenhunt rezoning and conditional use request is on the September agenda,” said Bryan Patrick, director of planning and development for the city of Conway.
It was scheduled for the August meeting, but Whisenhunt Investment/Kroger withdrew the request in order to prepare additional information.
On Monday, the planning commission will hold a public hearing for a rezoning request from O-3 — restricted office district — to C-2 — neighborhood commercial district and a conditional-use permit for the gas pumps. Patrick said the initial proposal made by the Kroger Co. called for a second driveway off Prince Street, which would cut through the lot where the house now sits. He said that driveway was located “too close” to an existing driveway to the adjacent First Security Bank branch.
In his staff report posted on the website www.conwayplanning.org, Patrick states: “Development review standards require 100 feet of separation between curb cuts. Due to the existing First Security curb cut, this driveway may not be constructed unless an agreement is reached between Kroger and First Security Bank to close the existing drive and share access. As of the writing of this report, the applicant had reached a tentative agreement with the bank to close the Prince Street curb cut and allow bank access off of the proposed shared drive.”
Patrick said, “If Kroger can broker a deal with First Security, then the city will grant the curb cut. Our standards call for 100 feet between commercial driveways. This will be met if they can close the First Security curb cut.”
Not only have neighbors to the Kroger property voiced their opposition to the expansion plans, other organizations have spoken up as well. Marianne Welch, president of the Old Conway Preservation Society, said her organization wants to see the rock house preserved.
In a letter to Welch dated Aug. 26, James E. Hathaway Jr., chief operating officer of Whisenhunt Investment Group, states, in part: “… regardless of whether the re-zoning application is or is not approved, the house and garage ultimately will not remain at this location.”
Hathaway cited a letter to Whisenhunt Investment from Ralph Wilcox of the Department of Arkansas Heritage dated May 27: “Even though the property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, there are no restrictions on the property, and the demolition can proceed as planned.”
Hathaway told Welch in the letter, “ … both Mr. Whisenhunt, the current owner of the property (Webb house), and the Kroger Company, the potential owner of the property, are aware of your Society’s desire to preserve these structures and wish to work with your organization in an effort to resolve this matter.”
Whisenhunt has offered, with some conditions, to donate the house and garage “as-is” to the Old Conway Preservation Spciety “provided that it is a qualified 501(c)(3) organization, or, in the event that it is not so qualiied, to any other qualified 501(c)(3) organization designated by the Old Conway Preservation Society. In addition, Mr. Whisenhunt and the Kroger Company will donate a total of $40,000 to the same organization, to be applied to the cost of moving or repairing the structures.”
Hathaway said Whisenhunt’s offer is valid until Thursday, Sept. 30, and the house must be moved on or before Saturday, Oct. 30.
In a letter dated Monday, Welch notified Hathaway that she and the Old Conway Preservation Society are deferring the offer to the Pine Street Community Deveopment Corp.
“We are deeply grateful for your company’s interest in finding a solution, other than demolition, for the Silas Owen House at 2954 Prince,” Welch wrote. “It is our understanding that the Pine Street Community Development Corp, here in Conway, is very interested in receiving the house and have available space identified in that neighborhood. As you might already know, the Pine Street area was historically an African-American residential area and has seen a great deal of renewal in recent years. For the Silas Owen house to find a new life in that area would be totally appropriate and respectful to its history. We would like to defer your generous offer to the Pine Street group.”
Linda Paxton, president of the Pine Street Community Development Corp., said she met a few days ago with Patrick and Steve Hurd, local architect and chairman of the Conway Historic District Commission.
“We have some property in the neighborhood that we thought might work, but the [Webb] house is too big to sit on the lot,” Paxton said. “The city is talking about some property it owns on Sutton Street, but nothing is final. We are just trying to find out what our options are.”
Lauralee McCool, community development director for the city of Conway, noted that the city does not yet officially own the property on Sutton Street of which Paxton spoke.
“We haven’t closed on it yet,” she said.
Conway Mayor Tab Townsell said it is important to note that any future involvement the city might have with the relocation of the Webb house has no bearing on the planning commission’s consideration of the conditional-use request.
“That is a possibility,” Townsell said regarding the city helping in some way should the house be moved. “We wouldn’t want to take possession of the house. We would consider donating the land to some other organization and letting them take possession of it. ... But that is distinctly not tied to the conditional-use request. They’re separate issues.”
Paxton also said her organization is considering future plans without counting any eggs before they’ve hatched.
“One thing to consider is, if you get the house, how do you maintain it, since it’s on the National Register,” Paxton said. “We’re just looking at options. A lot depends on what happens at the planning commission meeting.”
Paxton said her organization works to revitalize the Pine Street neighborhood.
“We want to see the [Webb] house preserved and want to do what we can to help,” she said. “But it won’t be on our property; the house is just too big.”
Hurd said he became interested in the Webb house because of his position on the Conway Historic Commission.
“As commissioners, we are charged with keeping an ear open and an eye out on properties that are historic,” he said. “In one of our meetings, we discussed the situation, and I became concerned about it. Bryan (Patrick) told us the city owned some land in the Pine Street area. We knew the [Pine Street Community Development Corp.] owned some land as well. It just makes sense to move the house to that area. Silas Owens was a prominent African-American mason, doing what he did, making his mark.
“By moving the house to the Pine Street area, it could be developed into a culture center that serves as a testament to his style of architecture,” Hurd continued. “This house is one of the few that is left in the town. By preserving the house, it would be available for all to see.”
Hurd said the city owns property at Sutton Street and Siebenmorgen Road, with frontage on Siebenmorgen.
“I can see using the garage as the entrance to the house, with a connecting ramp between the two to make it handicap-accessible,” he said. “That way it can be kept it on the National Register. Not only would people in Conway be able to enjoy it, those traveling through town could see it, too. It just makes sense to move it there.”
“I really don’t know how this is going to pan out,” Patrick said. “I believe there will be much public opposition, but possibly some support — not near as much, though. The planning commission’s task is to weigh the land use issue. Is the request an appropriate land use? If so, they should grant regardless of neighbor opposition.
“I believe the applicants will appeal if denied, so it should go before the City Council one way or another. The City Council meeting is set for Tuesday, Sept. 28.”