Submitted photo The above photo is from an old postcard of the former Fink’s Motel, later known as the Four Seasons Motel in Elkins, that was sent to Jamie Billman and the Elkins Historical Landmark Commission by a concerned citizen.

ELKINS — The Elkins Historical Landmark Commission is considering filing a Historical Property Inventory form for the Four Seasons Motel after inquiries from city residents.

This comes after residents of the Four Seasons property on Harrison Avenue received eviction notices on Dec. 31 drafted by property owner Don Smith’s attorney, Mike Mullens. The property is set to be bought by the City of Elkins, which plans to demolish the structure, once all of the current residents have vacated the building.

According to the purchase agreement between City Hall and property owner Don Smith, the city will be purchasing the property for $135,000.

Jamie Billman, manager of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, and member of the HLC, gave a presentation during the HLC meeting on Tuesday night at the Darden House regarding questions the Commission has received about the Four Season Motel being a historic property.

“…In my capacity, working at the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, we have received several concerned citizens reaching out to us about the Four Seasons Motel,” Billman explained during the meeting. “Locals, mainly, or former locals, who are familiar with the building and the rest of the plans going on with City Hall, and want the historic nature of the building to be considered in that plan.”

Billman stated that she reached out to the state Historic Preservation Office and was informed that the Four Seasons Motel building is not on the historic register, and there is no determination of eligibility for the building. The office also told Billman that no one has conducted an HPI for the building.

Billman said, from what the Commission has heard from City Hall, it does not seem as though they would have the time to “get the ball rolling” on getting it added to the registry before the purchase and demolition of the building.

“My perspective is, I do think it is a mid-century motel,” Billman said. “If it’s particularly an outstanding example of such architecture, I think I would leave that up to the (State Historic Preservation officers) to determine. I do think, from the environmental perspective, it’s a shame to demolish the whole building.”

Paden Vargo, a member of the HLC, admitted that when Billman first told him about people reaching out about the motel, he was confused as to why.

“After digging into it a little bit more, it’s the Four Seasons Motel currently, it was the Fink’s Motel,” Vargo said. “It is a representation of a mid-century motor court, and there’s some value there.”

However, Vargo acknowledged that the building isn’t what it used to be, citing the missing motel sign and changes made to the second floor picture windows, such as being boarded up with plywood, but he added that it would help to file a HPI for documentation purposes.

“My perspective is that it’s lost some integrity, and I don’t think it would meet the barrier for eligibility,” Vargo explained. “I do think that developing an HPI form would be a prudent thing.”

Billman floated the idea to the HLC of possibly using the HPI form process for the Four Seasons Motel as a small workshop for local AmeriCorps members to teach them how the HPI process works in West Virginia. She added that, if that didn’t pan out, she could easily complete the HPI form.

When Kelsey Hartmann, an HLC member and the owner and operator of Hartmann Preservation Services LLC, questioned the safety and risk factors of entering the building to take inventory. Billman said she believed it best to only take photos of the outside structure.

Billman also mentioned the possibility of contacting the city in regard to any “worthwhile architectural salvage,” once they reach the demolition process.

According to a statement released by City Hall on Dec. 31, “if and when” the city takes ownership of the property from Smith, the city plans to erect temporary fencing, have an exterminator treat the property for pests and vermin, demolish the structure, and transform the property into a greenspace or welcome area.

Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes has said city council will wait until the purchase is completed before deciding what to do with the property.