With raze order lifted, assessment will determine condition of Delavan's temperance house
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DELAVAN — 
The former Israel Stowel Temperance House is believed to be the oldest in the city. Dan Plutchak/staff.
DELAVAN -- A consultant spent Thursday poking and prodding Delavan's Israel Stowell Temperance House to see if the historic structure is worth saving.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation provided a matching grant to the city of Delavan that was used toward a conditions assessment.
Delavan City Administrator Joe Salitros said the city would provide funds to match the $4,450 grant, which included an evaluation of the building structure, envelope, interiors, mechanical and electrical systems. The final report will provide cost estimates for rehabilitation.
LJM Architects Inc., a Sheboygan firm, was chosen to do the assessment, and their report is expected back in 45 to 60 days.
Constructed in 1840, the building at 67 E. Walworth St. is the only known temperance house remaining in the state, and the city's oldest structure.
Its current owner, Ed Chesko, used it as storage for his former bookstore. Chesko is conveying the building to the Delavan Historical Society. Patti Marsicano, the society's president, expected to close on the building within a week.
An order by Delavan Fire Chief Neill Flood to raze the building July 1 was extended, but now has been lifted.
The order was issued because the collection of thousands of books stored in the deteriorating building posed a fire hazard. The historical society removed most of the books, eliminating the weight that put stress on the building, Salitros said.
Marsicano hopes to sell the books to help pay for the building's restoration, but said she sees a number of fundraisers ahead.
The city has discussed plans to rehabilitate the house for use as a center for learning and historic study, for tours, and as office space for the historical society.
Read the full story in the July 25, 2010 e-edition of Walworth County Sunday, PAGE 15.
Jul 29, 2010 at 10:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
The condition is is that it's a piece of crap. This thing may have been "saved" 80 years ago. Now, it's beyond the point of repair and simply needs to be removed. Photograph and document it that way. Get rid of it because it is a fire hazard. There is no way the Delavan City Council needs to be looking at spending any more money than they already have spent....taxpayer money....when they are looking at personnel cuts, furloughs and layoffs city wide. This is an eyesore and needs to go. It's simply an OLD BUILDING. If the City of Delavan were in sound financial shape and had loads of money in reserve with all loans and bills paid, then maybe...just maybe. Not when employees and their families livelihoods are on the line. Give me a break. Use your heads people!
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