🔒Moving house: A historic John Calvin Stevens house in Augusta goes for a ride

Richard Parkhurst, retired co-founder of O&P Glass, has a thing for older buildings, and is passionate about not seeing yet another one get torn down.

So when he learned that a circa 1899 John Calvin Stevens design at 15 Western Ave. in Augusta was going to be demolished to make room for an office building, he purchased it and had it moved down the street.

The move was a complex project, involving weeks of detailed coordination with local and state officials. The building is 6,200 square feet, and 60 feet wide at its broadest. It had to be cut into two sections to be moved.

Parkhurst said it was also a lot of fun.

“I was fortunate to find the best of the best contractors on this project,” he said. “Not only were they good, but every contractor took a special interest in the project, including every laborer.”

J.F. Scott from Winthrop and Scott Lyon, based in Manchester, prepped the house for the move.

“We demoed additions that were not relevant to the original structure and we had to rebuild portions of the roof that had been compromised by additions. We had to remove porches that wouldn’t withstand the move, and those will be rebuilt,” Parkhurst said.

“We had to disconnect and make safe gas, water, electric and sewer lines. We had to remove historic steps, remove plantings and prep the area around the house for the movers.”

Parkhurst said the house was in good shape. It had been built by a Water Street mercantile owner and was later occupied by several different businesses over the years, including an optometrist and a lawyer.

Big move across a short distance

Copp & Sons Building Movers — a 70-year-old family-owned business based in Cumberland — trucked the house, in two trips, to its new lot about one-third of a mile away at 5 Chandler St.

The move itself, on an early Sunday, May 31, took just under two hours.

“The Copp family actually made the challenge fun,” Parkhurst said. “It’s an incredible family business. We never had a contract, just word of mouth.”

Parkhurst added he had “nothing but cooperation” from the city and the state. “About a week before the move, we had a teleconference with 15 or 16 people to iron out every detail.

“We had to take down electrical lines and signs; streets had to be closed. It had to be on a Sunday, and couldn’t be a holiday. And then the state rep asked, ‘What’s the backup plan?’ There was silence for about 30 seconds; I had nothing to say. Then Pete Copp says, ‘There’s no backup plan, we do this every day.’”

Pricey undertaking

Parkhurst bought the house from Kennebec Savings Bank for a price he prefers to keep confidential, and purchased the lot on Chandler Street from the bank too.

The project was not inexpensive, but Parkhurst said he didn’t flinch at the cost.

“I wanted that house,” he said. “I didn’t dicker on the price.”

Once the house has been restored, which is his plan, he figures the project is likely to total close to $750,000.

“Prepping the house for the move ran about $175,000,” he said. “The move itself, with auxiliary costs, was around another $150,000.”

Parkhurst is retired and lives in Readfield. He co-founded O&P Glass, which is based in Augusta and run by daughter Soo Parkhurst.

He doesn’t plan to live in the house or subdivide it into apartments.

“I plan to restore the house to its original splendor,” Parkhurst said.

“The house is so beautiful. Once we put it on the lot, we noticed you can see the capitol building from three of the rooms.”

In the meantime, it’s for sale “to the right interested party,” Parkhurst said.

“I don’t expect to lose money on it. Someone will fall in love with this building.”