CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Plans by Charles Town Baptist Church officials to tear down a two-story house they own at the intersection of Mildred and Congress streets has raised concerns among some city residents who say the house is unique and should be saved.
The Rev. Wyman E. Hall, pastor of the church next door to the house along East Congress Street, said church members have decided to tear down the home after dealing with deterioration, including a front porch that is rotting, windows that are in bad shape and floors that are in poor condition.
Hall said the church cannot afford repairs that are needed, which church officials have been told would cost about $140,000.
Some city residents have been upset about the plans to tear down the house, saying the home is attractive and is in one of the town's most attractive historical settings.
"I think it's sad. It's a beautiful structure," Charles Town City Council member Michael Slover said Sunday.