By Neil Offen

noffen@heraldsun.com; 419-6646

DURHAM -- Officials at Healthy Start Academy agreed reluctantly Thursday to meet with city planning staff to explore possible alternatives to the demolition of two school-owned bungalows.

"I think they'd be willing to meet and they would say what they'd be willing to consider and what they wouldn't consider," Kim Griffin, a consultant to the charter school on West Chapel Hill Street, told the City Council during a work session.

Griffin's response was a minor concession from leaders of the school who have been adamant about their desire to demolish the houses at 804 and 806 Jackson Street to make way for a new playground -- unless they could find buyers who would move the structures.

Council members have been looking for a way to save the architecturally significant houses, particularly since hearing complaints from residents of the surrounding Morehead Hill historic district.

The bungalows, vacant for some years now, lie south of the school on an entirely residential block that has no commercial structures or vacant lots, Morehead Hill residents have pointed out.

Healthy Start's Executive Director Liz Morey told the council that the school's only playground on West Chapel Hill Street is "noisy and dangerous" and the school needs the site of the houses for a new playground.

"We would like to find a safer, better place," Morey said. "The back of the building [where the houses are] is a better place."

But Councilman Eugene Brown, who has been a strong opponent of the potential demolition, said planning administrators had come up with what he called "an interesting compromise."

Patrick Young, the city's assistant planning director, noted in a memo that there are at least four other sites "where it would be feasible to develop new recreation areas without demolition" of the two houses.

Those included a 3,000-square-foot location fronting Arnette Avenue and a 7,800-square-foot area if an unused right-of-way on Shepherd Street was closed by the city.

But Griffin countered that "since Day 1, the long-range plan has been to have the playground in the back."

"If we can't find anyone to take the homes, then we'd have to demolish them," Griffin said.

Three potential buyers had surfaced, he said, but wouldn't have the money to bring the buildings up to standard and move them.

City attorney Patrick Baker noted that Healthy Start essentially could do what it wants with the bungalows.

"They own the property," he said.

"What can we do?" asked Mayor Pro Tem Cora Cole-McFadden.

"We can ask them," Baker replied.

Brown did.

"I would like to know if you will meet with the planning staff to at least discuss alternatives," he asked Griffin.

Griffin pointed out that the school has "followed the letter of the law," but said, finally, after Brown asked again, that officials would meet with planning staff.