Foundation ends lease on historic house

After three years, the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Greater Blytheville Foundation has ended its lease to use the Historic Taylor House as an entertainment venue, and the house has now been put on the market for sale.

The Greater Blytheville Foundation had worked closely with Taylor House owner Byron Carlock over the course of its three-year lease, according to executive director Liz Smith. During this time, the Foundation hosted a number of events at the house but at the end of 2012 it was determined it was no longer financially viable to continue the lease.

"It's strictly a financial decision for us to dissolve the lease," Smith said, "We needed to break even on events to continue to be there and we just weren't able to do that."

Smith said she was surprised to discover the house up for sale so quickly after the Foundation ended its lease, adding she's not sure what will happen with the historic location once it's sold.

"We worked very closely with Byron (Carlock) over the past few years and he always expressed a desire to see the house become a part of a historic trail through Blytheville.

I'm not sure what will happen if it's sold," said Smith.

cpinkard@couriernews.net