Arts and culture center HD South, home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, is trying to preserve a more than 100-year-old home known as the Clare House.
Forrest Clare and his family lived in the house located near Gilbert Road for several years. Eventually, the home was converted into several businesses, including a coffee shop that closed in 2022.
According to HD South President and CEO Denise Lopez, it’s one of a small number of century-old buildings in Gilbert still standing.
“The goal is to prevent the home from not surviving and being able to offer that as a reminder of Gilbert's history. When it's moved here to HD South, it will be another exhibit," she says.
She also says plans to demolish the home could erase a piece of Gilbert history.
“The developer has been very extremely gracious in their collaboration with us and in order to get the home moved and obviously prevent its demolition,” she says.
Lopez says they’ve been in communication with the developer, which requested the home be moved by mid-May. They’ll need to raise $135,000 in order to relocate the Clare House to HD South headquarters and convert the home into an exhibit.
