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LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — A decaying mansion in Lewiston is back in good standing with the city after being declared dangerous a year ago.
The Hurlbut Mansion is no longer dangerous to the public, according to city building official John Smith. He told The Lewiston Tribune (http://bit.ly/1T1W93h) that officials at the Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program, which owns the building, have fixed some structural problems and rebutted others.
The main danger of the mansion was that parts of the brick veneer facade that were in danger of collapse, according to a report Smith filed early last year. Program officials put up a safety fence around the building and were able to scale it back as exterior repairs were made.
Workers repaired some loose masonry and secured the building against vandals and birds, according to Clarkston architect Jerry Brotnov. The 110-year-old building is no longer at risk of collapsing, according to an assessment by Brotnov and an engineering firm hired to assess the home.
Lewiston banker Wendell Hurlbut had the 8,286-square-foot colonial revival home built in 1905 for $26,000. It was designed by Spokane architect Kirtland Cutler.
The Children's Home Finding and Aid Society bought the mansion from foreclosure in 1912, and it served as an orphanage for 56 years. Then someone else bought the building and leased it to the Idaho Head Start Association, which later became the Early Childhood Program.
The building fell into disrepair and was scheduled to be demolished in 2001, but a group of community members rallied to save it.
The Early Childhood Program bought the property in 2001. Total renovation cost is estimated to be $2.4 million.
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Information from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com
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