Visitors to Grapevine's Nash Farm will notice some changes in the coming months. About $18,000 of Faith Bybee Collection furniture purchased by the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau was moved onto the property in late April to furnish the farmhouse's downstairs. And plans to move the 1930s-era Soil Conservation Service Office to Nash Farm property are being hashed out.
The Historic Preservation Commission in April approved moving the city-owned Soil Conservation Service Office to Nash Farm property.
The Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau has tentatively planned between late May and the end of June to move the building from its current site at 409 E. Hudgins St. to Nash Farm property at 626 Ball St. It could cost the CVB about $12,000 to move the building to the farm.
Previous plans to move the 1870 Estill Cottage to the farm were rejected by the Grapevine Heritage Foundation, which oversees the property. Some Nash Farm neighbors voiced opposition to moving Estill Cottage to the farm because of the building's poor condition.
Grapevine CVB Executive Director Paul W. McCallum on May 17 told board members the Estill Cottage at 708 E. Texas St. will be moved temporarily to the Soil Conservation Service Office's former location at 409 E. Hudgins St., where it will be restored before being moved to a future, as-yet-determined destination.
"It is part of the historic fabric of this community ... it is paramount that we save that structure," he said.
The Soil Conservation Service Office will be hidden behind trees near the pole barn. Plans are to use the building as meeting and storage areas, a classroom, training facility and exhibit hall.
In addition, any future decisions to move buildings onto the property and any major exterior changes to the building will now require a review process with the Historic Preservation Commission.
With no discussion, the Grapevine City Council on May 15 approved designating the city's historic farmstead as a historic landmark. With the vote comes rezoning of Nash Farm property from Grapevine Vintage District to Governmental Use District.