Brentwood's Historic Owen-Primm House Set for Demolition

From the City of Brentwood

January 18, 2021

The video above is a tour of the Primm Property from 2017

The Historic Owen-Primm house which sits at 8318 Moores Lane has been a part of this area since it was built in 1806 by Jabez Owen. In 1845, the home was expanded and sold to Thomas Perkins Primm. The home is a notable example of a central passage plan residence with Greek Revival detailing.

On December 14, 2020, a demolition permit to remove the structure was filed. According to Section 14-68(2) of the Municipal Code, it provides that for structures that have been in existence for more than 75 years or which are part of historically significant sites designated as such by resolution (Resolution 2000-11) of the board of commissioners, no permit for demolition or removal be issued until a waiting period of 90 days has passed from the date of the filing. Come mid-March, if no one has come to an agreement with the owners to save it or purchase it, it will be demolished.

City Manager Kirk Bednar addressed the Brentwood Historic Commission at its regular meeting held on Friday, January 15. “We can’t stop it as its private property,” Bednar said of the looming demolition. If someone is interested in trying to preserve the home, the owners may be willing to entertain those discussions, but ultimately it is up to the owners to decide what happens with the house.

Current Conditions

City staff, including Bednar and Jim Thompson, went into the house on January 8, 2021. From photographs taken at the time, conditions inside the home have deteriorated over the years. According to an assessment Thompson provided the city, roof leaks are apparent in a few places, termite and dry rot can be seen on the floor joists where exposed to view. Great expense would be required to make the house livable and would likely require significant demolition and rebuilding in the area of the rear to meet modern room size, flow and amenity expectations, Thompson wrote in the letter.

Click here to read more and view photos.

This press release was produced by the City of Brentwood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.