The fate of a unique industrial building in New Hampshire could be decided soon.
The 1888 Concord gasholder is believed to be the last of its kind in the United States with its interior works intact. Retired state architectural historian Jim Garvin says gasholders changed America. The new lighting fuel technology meant businesses could run three shifts and people could read, gather and walk the streets deep into the night.
After the roof was damaged during a 2013 storm, the building was temporarily repaired. Historians and preservation experts worry that without permanent repairs soon, the building is doomed.
Owner Liberty Utilities is weighing whether to repair, demolish or sell it. Demolition is three or four times cheaper than repair, but that doesn't include the cost of cleaning up contamination.
