KIEWA Street house Meramie is up for sale but Albury Council will not be buying the historic property.
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Meramie, which is owned by Melbourne couple Ian and Joy Clark, went on the market last week through Albury real estate firm Stean Nicholls.
Albury councillors discussed the possible purchase behind closed doors at Monday night's meeting and decided not to put an offer.
Mayor Kevin Mask told The Border Mail on Thursday that the council had no purpose for the building.
"We couldn't find any useful use for it, there was no interest from any not-for-profits, no interest from any of our stakeholders," Cr Mack said.
"We exhausted all avenues of inquiry."
Cr Mack said the council would still be uninterested in Meramie if it failed to sell at auction on November 21.
NEWS FROM COURT:
"If they discounted that property tomorrow it wouldn't matter, we just don't have a use for it and we can't justify it to our ratepayers," he said.
"It doesn't stack up and we can't be spending ratepayers' money on things that can't be used."
Councillors voted unanimously then to not allow the house to be razed, given its long-term heritage status and the precedent it could set for historic places to be destroyed.
The Clarks have owned Meramie, which once encompassed land now occupied by the neighbouring motel, for decades.
Selling agent Jack Stean said they had decided to give another party the opportunity to revamp the former hotel and home of Albury mayor and MP Thomas Griffith.
"We're confident of finding someone with a suitable use because it's a beautiful building, it's 1600 square metres in the heart of Albury and who wouldn't want to live there and enjoy it," Mr Stean said.
He added that "the vendors and us are not upset with anything council has done".
Albury and District Historical Society president Greg Ryan, whose group objected to the demolition, was not surprised council was not interested in purchasing it.
He would like to see the facade and garden restored and Meramie returned to a residence.
"It would make a nice home for someone if they could afford to bring it up standard, but a lot of money would have to be spent on it obviously," Mr Ryan said.