The historic Henry Tallman House was labeled as a dangerous building by Bath City Council on Jan. 15. The property owner has 90 days to address building code violations or sell. Paul Bagnall / The Times Record

A historic home on High Street in Bath will be slated for demolition unless it’s fixed up or sold in the next three months.

The Bath City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to designate the eye-catching home at 982 High St. as dangerous after years of abandonment and deterioration. The owner, Gabriela Lake, has 90 days to fix a list of code violations or sell the property.

Lake didn’t attend the meeting and did not respond to a request for comment from The Times Record.

The home, dating back to 1840, is known as the Henry Tallman House. The Federal-Greek Revival residence was built for Henry Tallman, a prominent Bath lawyer and public office holder.

During the special City Council meeting, Code Enforcement Officer Adam Jones said Lake abandoned the Tallman house in 2016. She used to live there with her late husband, James Lake. The courts filed a foreclosure judgment on May 19, 2020, but no further action was taken. The Bath Code Enforcement Office condemned the Tallman House on July 2, 2024.

“I don’t think anyone is interested in demolishing it, but it has languished for so long, and it is deteriorating at a rapid rate,” said Bath City Councilor Jennifer DeChant.

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Lake has listed the historic eight-bedroom, four-bathroom Tallman House for sale on multiple real estate websites for $199,000. Jones said any new owner must address the building’s code violations.

“There have been times where the property owner has made entry into the property and visited the property throughout the last couple of years, but [she] does not reside in the property due to personal reasons,” Jones said.

Code Enforcement Officer Adam Jones lays out the case for determining the Henry Tallman House as a dangerous building during the Bath City Council special meeting Wednesday, Jan. 15. Paul Bagnall / The Times Record

During Jones’ inspections, multiple chimneys are sagging due to water damage in the roof. The overall exterior is showing signs of decay. Jones said Lake told him that she attempted to fix the leaks in the roof but could not determine where it was coming into the house.

Jones said some issues with the Tallman House date back to 2008. If no repair plan is available and the owner does not sell the single-family home, the Superior Court determines that the Tallman House needs demolition. According to Jones, the property owner would bear the costs.

The Code Enforcement Office condemned the property primarily because the Tallman House’s electrical system was not working, and there was significant decay from water damage.

The building also does not comply with the Maine Fire Code. Tall grass and vegetation have grown outside the house, and the Bath Fire Department has already deemed it dangerous.

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Pests have been discovered inside the property, making the building a health hazard, Jones said. He suspects the property has mold but refrained from classifying what he saw as mold without a proper testing.

Water service was disconnected from the Tallman House in October 2016. However, the Bath Water Department confirmed in October 2023 that the water had been turned on at the street level and immediately disconnected. Other utilities have also been cut off.

Over the past five years, there have been around 25 police calls to the vacant property, most related to break-ins. Jones was present when two minors broke into the house, and he had to help the Bath Police Department remove them.

“If no further action is taken on that property to bring something back into compliance, the municipality and the code officer have the ability to approach that building to the further step of demolition, and that is only done through the Superior Court,” Jones said.

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