Two unoccupied buildings on the Magnolia Square are being demolished.
A contractor using an excavator and a skidder tore into the former Barton Art Studio, 111 S. Jefferson, on Tuesday morning. Jefferson between West Main and Tyler Alley was closed.
The excavator churned its way through the building and eventually made it way westward to Lone Alley. Men on the roof of Dyson’s Mid-South Service used saws to cut away wood, shingles and metal between the two buildings.
By Tuesday night, the Barton Art Studio was a pile of rubble.
Also scheduled to be demolished is the two-story Frame ‘n Gallery building, 109 S. Jefferson.
Both buildings are owned by Bonita H. Barton of Magnolia.
Her daughter, Lanie Barton, operated the Barton Art Studio under her death in 2019. It has been unoccupied since that time.
The Frame ‘n Gallery building was also vacant.
The buildings on the north side of Frame ‘n Gallery – occupied by 2C Custom Framing, the Bee Hive, My Kitchen Table and Southern Roots – are owned by Southark LLC.
The nearby JavaPrimo Cafe and More is open through 8 p.m. nightly.
According to Columbia County tax records, the 24-foot by 120-foot Barton Art Studio, and the 25-foot by 120-foot Frame n’ Gallery, have total appraised land values of $26,730 and improvements value of $71,535.
The last sale of the buildings was in 2015, when Gaye Carroll sold the property to Lanie Barton for $90,000. Lanie Barton then conveyed the property to Bonita Barton by quitclaim deed.
Gaye Carroll had operated Frame ‘n Gallery for many years before opening the art gallery at 111 S. Jefferson in 1990.
The buildings are believed to have been constructed prior to 1900, but no information was immediately available. Many buildings around the Magnolia Square changed from wood frame to masonry construction following the August 31, 1893 that destroyed many businesses on the south side of the Magnolia Square.
Both buildings have suffered from structural and water damage in recent years. Some masonry had been falling off the building.
City Inspector David Nelson said the buildings were not under any condemnation orders, with the owner deciding to demolish the structures.
There’s no information on what may become of the total 49-by-120 lot once it is cleared.
The last major demolition project on the square took down the former Cooper Studio and part of the Buffaloe’s Western Wear building on North Jefferson. The area was converted into the Square Park, which has a stage, storage area and public restrooms.
