Concerned citizens on a mission to save two historic homes in Downtown Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Some concerned citizens in the Port City are on a mission to save two historic homes in Downtown Mobile.

Last week, folks on Conti Street noticed one of the homes being separated from its foundation. The home was put on moving beams.

Herndon said the workers told her they were moving the house to Frisco City, Ala.

The homes are located at 918 and 920 Conti Street in the Old Dauphin Way Historic District.

Katie Herndon is one worried local whose parents live right next to the homes. She says she’s spent the last decade visiting her parents’ quaint home.

Property records show The Historic Restoration Society purchased the houses in 2015.

Herndon says she was alarmed when she saw a work crew at those properties.

“These are historic homes in a historic district- if you want to paint them a different color, you have to get approval,” she said. “I contacted the City and so did some other neighbors and they looked into it, sent someone out and lo and behold no permits, no permission.”

City Council Member William Carroll says there is a strict set of guidelines when dealing with Mobile’s historic homes.

A City spokesperson says their role is to make sure that the laws and procedures that protect historic properties and historic districts are followed.

“You have to go through the process of obtaining a certificate of appropriateness which means that you have to go before the ARB and everyone else before you can actually do the work. What we found is after Monday when the first contact was made- those standard processes hadn’t been met,” said Carroll.

Herndon says if the homes are moved, she’s worried there will be little left of the street.

“I think that it would set a dangerous precedent for all of the historic districts that anyone can just come in, move a house and it doesn’t have to go through the same process as anyone else does,” stated Herndon.

Herndon says she plans to address the City Council next Tuesday with her concerns.

FOX10 News reached out to folks involved in the Historic Restoration Society for more information, but we have yet to hear back. FOX10 News will continue to update you as we learn more.