The Brown Library Board of Trustees wants the city to remove a nearby house so the library can expand.

The city owns the brick house, which it acquired so the library could expand at some point in the future. The trustees discussed the matter with the Friends of the Brown Library and librarian. Based on their input, the trustees voted to proceed with asking the city to facilitate removal of the house.

“The Brown Library board has met and is requesting the City of Washington file a certificate of appropriateness to remove or either take down the house at 415 W. Second St., which is the former A&B Tax office,” City Manager Bobby Roberson told the City Council at its Dec. 12 meeting. “Unless you have an objection to it, I’m going ask the staff to move forward on it. As you well know, anytime we apply for a certificate of appropriateness, it would be one year from the date it’s approved. Subsequently, staff would look for someone to move the house or actually take the house down. That would be the process for us.”

Councilwoman Virginia Finnerty had questions about the house. “You’re talking about tearing it down?” she asked.

“It’s either tearing it down or moving it,” Roberson said.

“How do you move a brick building?” Finnerty inquired.

“They move them,” Mayor Mac Hodges replied.

“You have to take the bricks off, and then you would have to find a contractor to move it,” Roberson said.

“You remove the building; what’s going to go there, an empty lot?” Finnerty said.

“No. Actually, the library has expansion plans. They will be brining that up during the budget process,” Roberson said. “In essence, what they want to do is expand the library for the children’s library. It’s been discussed in the capital-improvements program.”