March<\/a>, Craven County planned to demolish part of the historic building to create a parking lot due to the urgent need for parking spaces during elections and court sessions adjacent to the building.<\/p>\nFor some residents, it makes sense.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, I guess it would be logical. There aren\u2019t a lot of parking spaces around the city,\u201d New Bern resident Tiffaney Boone said. <\/p>\n
But seven months after the announcement, the building remains untouched. <\/p>\n
However, county officials say there is no delay, and they still plan on moving forward with the partial demolition of the temple. <\/p>\n
Some residents who live near the temple are still hoping it stays. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe like the building; it\u2019s going to make us sad to see it gone. Unfortunately, it can\u2019t be saved. It sat there for years, and nobody did anything after the flood [Hurricane Florence], so we knew that it was going to have to go,\u201d Claire Perkins said. <\/p>\n
The county said they\u2019ve secured a demolition permit and addressed safety concerns like asbestos since March. <\/p>\n
While some see the logic in adding parking, others believe the temple could serve a different purpose. <\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe they can keep the building and make it into a community center for the kids around here, for them to have something to do,\u201d New Bern resident Angela Lynch said. <\/p>\n
The county says that while they are still in the process of developing cost estimates for the demolition and construction of the parking lot, they do not have a timeline for when the demolition will occur or when the project will be completed.<\/p>\n
However, they plan to preserve key historical elements to honor the site\u2019s history and are still working through final approvals. <\/p>\n
Craven County purchased the property for $6 million in 2022. <\/p>\n
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