An 80-year-old Madison home with ties to the King of Rock could soon be torn down and replaced with a car wash.
"Everyone says it'd be a shame to tear it down," said Steve North, a retired attorney who bought the property 20 years ago. "But no one ever makes an offer."
The property first belonged to Col. Tom Parker, who managed Elvis Presley for decades. Parker did business out of a small second structure in the back yard, where the Elvis Presley Fan Club also operated for a brief time.
Inside, Presley even had his own bedroom. He'd often stay at the home, located at 1215 Gallatin Pike S., after recording at RCA Studio B on Music Row.
In 1996, North bought the property to use as an office for his law firm.
"It has been perfect for our needs," North said. "How many attorneys can say they have a space like this?"
But North retired, and no longer needs the property. He put it on the market four years ago, hoping to find a buyer that will preserve it.
"I've preserved it for 20 years," he said. "There's so many stories here."
Stories like how Parker negotiated Presley's payment for appearing on the Johnny Carson show.
"The show called the Colonel up and said, 'We're going to pay you the highest amount we've paid anyone to appear on the show. We'll pay you $50,000,'" recalls Mark North, Steve's son. "The Colonel said, 'That sounds fine for me, but what about the boy?'"
North said that is just one of hundreds of stories people have shared over the years. He said often, people will stop by just to talk about their memories of the space.
"Sometimes one story will conflict with another, but that's the fun of it," North said. "All memories are true, they just aren't all accurate."
North has searched for a new owner for four years, with no luck.
"No one has come forward with a reasonable business plan that could justify saving the building," he said.
That's why it'll likely be torn down.
North is finalizing an agreement with a buyer who plans to raze the home and build a car wash in its place.
A plan the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals will consider at a January 5 meeting. If approved, the sale could be finalized in fewer than 30 days.
"It's painful, I've got an emotional connection to this property," North said. "There are so many stories here."
The Metro Board of Zoning Appeals will met Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at the Howard Office Building downtown.
