PHOENIX — A 115-year-old home in downtown Phoenix may be spared from being demolished thanks to city funds that could help to relocate the structure to another spot on the property.
The Seargeant-Oldaker house, located near Third Avenue and McKinley Street, was built in 1909 and is associated with Elizabeth Seargeant-Oldaker, a prominent Phoenix resident in the early 20th century.
The old home is surrounded by modern apartment complexes and was expected to be torn down. But city officials have recently recommended approving grant funds that would be used to rehabilitate and relocate the home so it can be turned into a restaurant.
"The relocation would allow for new multi-use development on the property and provide for long-term preservation of the building through a conservation easement," city records state.
The Phoenix Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee recently endorsed allocating $400,000 to go toward the $1.3 million total cost of the relocation project.
City records show the property owners would be responsible for paying about $620,000 of the costs. Another $324,000 is expected to be provided through a state fund.
The century-old bungalow home has been recognized for its architectural qualities, notably its use of natural brick and diamond-pane windows.
"The brickwork is exceptionally well detailed," a description in the Arizona Historic Property Inventory states. "This bungalow is a particularly fine example of the Craftsman style."
The Oldaker family reportedly lived in the home until the late 1970s.
Elizabeth Seargeant-Oldaker, an inductee in Arizona Women's Hall of Fame, spent most of her life preserving the history of the Grand Canyon State. She's credited with helping to establish the institution that has now become the Phoenix Museum of History.