Skeleton cruise: House edges closer to demolition

It had a full life for more than a century as home to various members of the Coles family, but the house at 1301 Park Street is now just a skeleton.

Stripped of its marketable parts– including siding, floors, and appliances– the house has a decidedly haunted air about it.

"You could probably go by and push it over," says Hannah Sylvester, spokesperson for Southland Homes, which purchased the place from Weather Hill homes earlier this fall. (Weather Hill bought the house from the Coles family and had planned to put a 54-unit townhouse project in its place; Southland has essentially taken over the same plan.)

So what's the demolition hold-up?

Sylvester says Southland is waiting for demolition permits from the city. As soon as they arrive, says Sylvester, the walls will come tumblin' down.

Jerry Tomlin in the City's building permit department says the city is waiting for a response from utility companies and will issue the demolition permit as soon as it gets confirmation that utilities have been disconnected.

For the Coles family, demolition means the end of an era.

Rod Coles, the last of the family to occupy the historic dwelling, most recently used it as a recording venue, Studio 1301, for acts including the Hackensaw Boys and Richmond-based Meanflower.

But while Coles is sorry to see the house demolished, he's resigned to the idea.

"I don't see the house as a landmark or anything," he said back in August, "nothing you would put a plaque up for. It was really just a guy in his room doing something he was passionate about. Now I'm out of my room."

BEFORE.

AFTER: Once a recording studio, the Coles family house at 1301 Park Street is almost gone.
PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO

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