HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Christian County Fiscal Court has decided to declare a 186-year-old downtown building as a surplus, anticipating that the property will be demolished to create more public parking.
The building in question is located at 521 Weber Street, behind the Christian County Courthouse. Known simply as the Weber Building, it is currently the oldest standing structure in downtown Hopkinsville, initially built as a house in 1839. The Phoenix Building used to hold the title, having been built in 1812 as a hotel, but it was demolished in 2023.
“It’s kind of an anomaly for downtown,” said Museums of Hopkinsville-Christian County Director Alissa Keller. “It was built by a man named Jesse Wood, but the name Weber got added to it when Dr. Augustine Weber lived and worked there in 1854.”
Keller shared details about this history of the building with Christian County Now, saying that after Weber moved out, it served long term as a law office with apartments upstairs. In the 1930s and 1940s, it was transformed into a restaurant called The Coffee Pot, with the county buying it in the late 1960s. The building was later renovated as the treasurer’s office.
“I think that taking care of properties is an important part of maintaining a viable downtown and a viable community,” Keller said. “I believe that every building should have a purpose, because if they don’t then they do tend to fall behind. It’s going to be a sad loss for downtown.”
Structural issues, next steps
During the July 22 meeting, Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam shared that code enforcement has deemed the building uninhabitable due to safety concerns. A facilities assessment conducted by the fire department revealed extensive termite damage, exterior walls are warping, numerous water leaks, and the original foundation is in poor shape.
Squire Russ Guffy mentioned that in the future, they should prioritize monitoring county owned historic properties to make sure they do not experience similar deterioration.
“These buildings haven’t gotten in this shape recently, this has happened over years,” said Guffy. “If there is something continuing to go on, we can try to stop that.” The magistrates voted unanimously to declare the property as a surplus of the county and remove it from their asset list. This would only include the property at 521 Weber Street, and not the attached Judge Executive’s Office.
They anticipate that the property will be demolished and transformed into additional downtown parking. Gilliam added that there is a possibility a private owner may purchase it for restoration. He added that all options will be considered.
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