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Richmond’s smallest house facing demolition

At 315 square feet, what is likely Richmond’s smallest house at 2607 Nine Mile Road is reportedly facing demolition.

The wee house and a few of it’s neighbors adjacent to the Bon Secours complex, including the other tiny house at 1420 North 27th Street, are boarded up. The property was purchased by Bon Secours in 2013 for $30,000. It sold in 1982 for $1,250.

1420 North 27th Street
1420 North 27th Street
2623 Nine Mile Road
2623 Nine Mile Road
Charlie's Lock Shop
Chuck’s Locksmith

24 comments

History Replays Today 01/18/2014 at 10:19 AM

At least it would be cheap to heat.

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Eric Huffstutler 01/18/2014 at 1:19 PM

It would be a shame to loose the little house on Nine Mile Road. Isn’t worth a lot to buy. Has 3 rooms, 1 bath, and is 14 feet wide and 21 feet long.

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Alex 01/18/2014 at 2:41 PM

Eric, is Bon Secours even willing to sell?

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Scott Burger 01/18/2014 at 5:32 PM

The Small House Society at

http://smallhousesociety.net/

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Eric Huffstutler 01/18/2014 at 7:08 PM

Since the entire house is about the size of one of our rooms in our house, can’t see where it would be hard to move either?

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Martin Bartholmy 01/19/2014 at 2:33 AM

So what about this one? (and there’s some more abandoned tiny houses nearby):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24044636@N00/5125255778

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Cadeho 01/19/2014 at 3:20 AM

In the planning sessions, they were to move both houses and not demolish the. Who can be contacted about this?

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Cadeho 01/19/2014 at 3:24 AM

Richmond likes to demolish its working class houses. We don’t have many small ones left. Several houses like it were demolished by Mt. Olivet on R. St years ago.

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chpnfan 01/19/2014 at 10:07 AM

It would be nice to see Bon Secours include this piece of history as part of it’s green space, creating an archeological garden, a glimpse into the lives of those that built Richmond, rather than committing it to a dumpster and land fill.

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Lee 01/20/2014 at 11:11 AM

I think I have an empty lot where I would love to put it! Any thoughts/suggestions. I assume they would give it away if I could move it?

(I’ve already seen one of my favorite little houses like this demolished because no one acted. I remember turning the corner, seeing it gone, and feeling mysteriously devastated…)

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John M 01/20/2014 at 1:32 PM

Lee, if you can follow up on this, let us know!

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chpnfan 01/20/2014 at 2:24 PM

Lee,

The demo permit has not been pulled yet.

Try contacting this gentleman to see if he can steer you in the right direction as to who you should be speaking to:

Kevin W. Barr, Chief Executive Officer
Bon Secours HealthSource
804-287-7700

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Lee 01/21/2014 at 12:07 AM

John Murden and chpnfan:

Thanks for the contact info! I’ve already reached someone involved with the project at Bon Secours, but will use your info to follow up if I don’t hear back from them.

I’m going to call around tomorrow to try and see what sort of cost is involved in moving the building and whether the city will allow it to go on the lot in question.

Anyone have any experience with moving a house like this? Or know of a company in the area that can pull it off?

Also – I think there’s more than one house and I don’t think we have land that can fit more than one. Anyone else interested?

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laura 01/21/2014 at 7:58 AM

I know that Bass Crane can lift and transport but, they won’t do the prep work of preparing for the lift–RBVA?

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Cadeho 11/11/2014 at 5:19 PM

Any news on what Bon Secours is doing with those small houses? The house next to it had its columns and siding removed…

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Deanna - Heirloom Restorations 11/11/2014 at 7:29 PM

The demo permit was issued for 2607 Nine Mile Rd. on 11/6 to “Demolish House And Regrade And Plant Grass”.

The cost listed for demo was $10,000. Hopefully for that price they’ll be moving it.

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Cadeho 01/13/2015 at 12:39 AM

I really wish I could have seen or documented the floor plans for those houses. Houses like those will never be built again.

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Lee 01/13/2015 at 6:57 AM

@Cadeho – I spoke with various people at Bon Secours about moving the place to land that my family owns in the city. All were very enthusiastic but no one ever followed up with me and I ultimately moved on to other projects. I think Bon Secours does a tremendous amount of good in the community, so I don’t want to criticize, but the whole experience was rather disheartening…

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