Historic Fort Lauderdale House Faces Demolition
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) – Time is running out for an historic Fort Lauderdale house that could be demolished unless city commissioners approve a plan to save it.
The 20th century Shippey House was built for one of Fort Lauderdale's first judges, Fred Shippey. Over the years, he presided over many weddings there, including that of "Tarzan" star and swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller.
According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel a salvage effort failed three years ago and a debt company seized ownership. An appellate court has cleared the way for demolition unless city commissioners can agree on a place to move it.
Historic preservationists have been trying to raise $200,000 to move and renovate the house. They have asked the city to use a parking lot in the Himmarshee entertainment district but businesses in the area have complainted about the potential loss of parking.
City commissioners are set to debate the issue on Tuesday. A decision must be made by the end of September.
