If Senoia's

"Blue House" is going to survive the wrecking ball, a savior

will have to step forward by Jan. 7.

The house at

49 Broad St. become a rallying point for the Senoia Area Historical Society

last month after members learned it could be demolished.

Chuck Smith

has a contract to sell the property to BellSouth for expansion of its

facility next to the home.

But BellSouth

wants only the property, and Smith asked the City Council for permission

to destroy the home.

When members

of the Historical Society learned of the plans, they quickly rallied and

tried to find a way to save the home.

Historical

Society President-elect Perry Benson told the City Council Monday night

that an architect had looked at the home Sunday.

Newnan's Mike

Miller told Benson the home is in five different sections. Some of the

home was built probably in the 1850s, while other sections were completed

in the 1880s and 1920s. Miller also said it would be virtually impossible

to move the home because of its condition.

Benson said

he didn't want to interfere with Smith's property rights, but said, "It

would be a tragedy to see the house destroyed."

Smith said

estimates to renovate the home were anywhere from $212,000 to $398,000

and he just wanted to sell the property so he could quit paying two home

loans.

Mayor Joan

Trammell, who said she would abstain from any vote since she lives a block

from the property, said the debate was turning into an issue that gave

historic preservation ordinances a bad name.

"This

is the kind of thing that people worried about when we passed this. A

property owner does have rights," she said.

The City Council

decided to vote on the issue at its Jan. 7 meeting. In the meantime, the

Historical Society will look to see if the older and historic portions

of the house can be moved and try and find a location to place the home.

Anyone interested

in the home should contact Benson at 770-599- 9855.