Demolition of 100-year-old New Perry Hotel draws outcry, calls for preservation measures

Despite efforts by the community to save the nearly 100-year-old landmark, the New Perry Hotel has been reduced to rubble.

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The historic New Perry Hotel has been demolished, leading to disappointment and concern among local residents and preservation groups.

Despite efforts by the community to save the nearly 100-year-old landmark, the hotel has been reduced to rubble.

“It’s incredibly unfortunate for the state of Georgia and the city of Perry to lose such an important landmark,” Ben Sutton, the Director of Preservation at the Georgia Trust, said. “And we’re really disappointed that there wasn’t a greater effort on the part of the city and the owner to find a productive use for the historic building.”

In response to the demolition, residents who opposed the destruction of the New Perry Hotel are now advocating for stricter preservation measures to protect other historic structures in the city. The “SaveNew PerryHotel” Facebook page is urging city leaders to take action and designate existing historic buildings for protection. Ben Sutton also says it’s important to create local historic districts. He says that would create an ordinance within the city law that requires any potential alterations or demolitions of historic buildings to be reviewed and approved before moving forward.

He encourages those upset by the demolition to voice their concerns to the mayor and city council while actively supporting the creation of new historic districts to maintain the character of their historic downtown.