Weekly Acorn #49
It has been six months now since the house at 187 Crepe Myrtle Cr was torn down. Two months prior to that the smaller house behind it (189) was torn down as well. Although it was a shame to see either of them go, time has a way of healing the hard feelings that a lot of people had when they were so suddenly taken down.
These two houses once stood on Crepe Myrtle Cr. 187 (left) was built in 1950 and the smaller house 189 (right) was built just after WWII using salvaged building materials. The smaller house sat behind the large one and was the first house built by the Corneliuses until they could afford to build the larger one a few years later. Click on the photos above to view an expanded version or visit the entire Historic Oak Crest Photo Gallery.
So, why were these houses torn down and what is next for the property where they once stood?
In October of 2006, the children of Ray and Louella Cornelius decided to sell the property and houses that their parents had called home since WWII, and where the children grew up, to Maple Springs United Methodist Church. The Corneliuses had been long time members of the church and the children thought the church could use the property and houses for the good of the church. They especially thought the larger house, at least, would be spared and used as a missions house or church offices.
Over the years the church had acquired surrounding properties along Reynolda Rd and expanded the building and parking lot. Then when they acquired the Cornelius property, instead of renovating the houses, or at least the larger one (which was a very well built house) for church use, they chose to demolish both of them and create a meditation garden (as the neighbors were told).
In a nutshell, the church did not want to spend any money to renovate the houses and instead only wanted to property for added “green space” which was needed to fulfill the reqiurement for their large parking lots. Also, earlier this year the church purchased the vacant property at the corner of Reynolda Rd and Woodberry Dr that has been used as a garden for many years. I assume that property will apply as needed “green space” as well.
As for the meditation garden, how about an empty grassy hole where a house once stood? That is all you get, but then again, meditation is all about “empty” thoughts. However, I had envisioned a nice pathway with some landscaping and benches along the way and maybe a nice statue or fountain. I will admit though that when I visit the property now it is very peaceful and quiet and the sound of the birds is very soothing.
The church has added some child sized picnic tables down near the creek that runs along the back side of the property for the children to use.
So, what does the future hold for this property? I do not know for sure. But I do hope that they will keep the area only as “green space.” I would not mind at all if they would landscape it as I described above to make it a more functional and attractive meditation garden. It would also be nice if the area were named in honor of the Corneliuses. Many of the trees, shrubs, and flowers that the Corneliuses planted and maintained as well as a storage shelter and a unique driveway that Mr Cornelius and his son built brick by brick still remain.
When the houses were torn down and the debris was being hauled off, I did salvage as much as I could from the site. I got some windows, cinder blocks, and tons of brick. I have used some of the cinder blocks to outline a raised bed vegetable garden and I am still chiseling mortar from the bricks which I plan to use to make a driveway and/or patio like Mr Cornelius made.
This is the property as it looks now. The two photos on the left is where the houses stood. The two photos on the right show the unique driveway and storage shelter that still remain on the property. Click on the photos above to view an expanded version or visit the entire Historic Oak Crest Photo Gallery.