APPLETON - A historic home in downtown Appleton is in its final days.

The Queen Anne-style house on Union Street owned by Lawrence University that two years ago was moved about a block north will soon be demolished. It was damaged during a 2018 fire and, after a year of studies by architects, engineers and city inspectors, it's been decided restoration isn't viable.

"We were deeply disappointed by this outcome," said Jacob Woodford, assistant to the Lawrence University president. "The project was an exciting prospect for historic preservation for the campus and for the City Park Historic District so we're heartbroken at this outcome."

The demolition could begin before the end of the week, Woodford said.

The fire happened in October 2018 while a contractor was working on renovations, according to a letter Joseph King, the construction project manager at Lawrence, sent to City Park Historic District neighbors and community leaders.

"We explored an assortment of options for renovating or restoring the home," King wrote. " ... It is with great sadness that we have made the necessary arrangements to have the home demolished."

The 2,700-square-foot home was built in 1901 and was purchased by Lawrence in 1928. For decades it stood near the Lawrence Memorial Chapel, just north of College Avenue. It's now at the corner of N. Union and Franklin near the southeast corner of City Park.

In the summer of 2017 it was moved from its original home at 122 N. Union St. to 229 N. Union as part of a historic preservation and land use project. The intention was for it to be the future home of Catherine Kodat, Lawrence's provost and dean of the faculty.

Woodford said Wednesday afternoon it was likely to be torn down within a few days.

The 118-year-old house had many uses, including as student housing for a time and as the residence for Ted Cloak, the founder of Lawrence's theater department. It also was the founding site of Attic Theatre in 1950. As the name suggests, the long-running community theater group began in the attic of the Cloak family home.

"A small slice of Appleton and Lawrence history will be lost with the demolition," King wrote in his letter. "For that, we are heartbroken and know that those who appreciate that history are feeling the same."

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Contact Shane Nyman at 920-996-7223 or snyman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @shanenyman.