Akels Receive Conditional OK to Demolish Court Street House

A Binghamton commission has given conditional approval for the demolition of a nearly-140-year-old downtown house for development of a parking lot.

Philip Akel and the family-owned FGR Realty had sought permission to tear down a two-story house at 188 Court Street.

FGR Realty acquired the property across the street from the Phelps Mansion Museum about five months ago for $140,000.

The Commission on Architecture and Urban Design voted on Tuesday to allow the demolition of the house if the planned project would result in a net gain of seven parking spaces.

The Akel real estate firm owns a neighboring office building, which was home to the family's first Giant grocery store. The site is now occupied by a Guthrie mental health clinic.

The project to demolish the house next door is contingent on approval by the city planning commission and the zoning board of appeals.

Commission chairman John Darrow voted against giving conditional approval to tear down the structure, which was built in 1885.

He said he believes the house is historically significant, noting it is the last residential structure on that block on the south side of Court Street.

A preservation group had opposed the plan to demolish the house. In a letter to the commission, the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier said the "distinctive materials, architectural features and examples of fine craftmanship remain intact" in the building.

Darrow said "this house is in darn nice shape," describing it as "a beautiful structure." But Akel representatives said the building would need hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs to make it useable in the future.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.