By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

A historic house that sits in the path of the wrecking ball must be moved by April 1, 2000, or it will be torn down.

Fayette County commissioners last week voted unanimously to let the city of Fayetteville solicit proposals from private companies or individuals to move the house and restore it for private use, as long as it is moved by the deadline.

The Dorsey house is of historic interest because it was altered by famed architect Neel Reid, and because it was once occupied by a wounded Civil War veteran.

Situated on Long Avenue, the house is on land that Fayette County plans to use for a new jail and courthouse complex in downtown Fayetteville.

With two historic restoration projects underway, Fayetteville doesn't have the money to take on another, city manager Mike Bryant explained recently. City officials hope to entice residents or businesses to move the house somewhere within the city's historic Main Street district and use it as an office or home.

“We would invite anybody who is interested in preserving the house and restoring it for some use to give us a call and we'll sit down and talk to them,” Bryant said.

The city's phone number is 770-461-6029.

The house is the former home of John Manson Dorsey, son of one of the former owners of the Holliday-Dorsey-Fife House.

John Dorsey was a private in the Fayette County Rifles, 107 local men who joined the Civil War. He was wounded at Gettysburg.

During the early 1900s, famed architect Neel Reed performed some redesign work on the house, adding to its historical value.

In other business during last week's meeting, commissioners:

” Approved purchase of a Cat 963 tractor loader from Yancey Brothers for $182,547.

” Approved rezoning of 10.12 acres on Neely Road from R-20 (one-acre subdivision) to A-R (agricultural-residential). Owner Darrell Kozisek said he wants to have a home and farm on the land.

” Approved Lloyd Touchton's request to rezone his 22.08 acres on Spence Road from R-70 (two-acre subdivision) to A-R, also for a home and farm.

” Reappointed Fred Bowen to the Planning and Zoning Commission and David Bartosh to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

” Went on record as placing the widening of Ga. Highway 54 west as the county's top priority among road improvement projects.