TUPELO – Calvary Baptist Church will appeal a city group’s denial of its demolition permit after a tense meeting Monday about the Spain House.

The church, which owns the century-old house, asked the Historic Preservation Commission to allow its demolition.

As an alternative, the church offered the house to Tupelo at no cost in hopes the city would find it a new location within two years. But the offer stood only if the church could demolish the structure should the city fail to move the house within that time frame.

Commission members denied the demolition request and, while intrigued by the offer, ultimately declined because it left open the possibility of demolition.

Some church supporters in the crowd loudly grumbled at the decision, which also prompted some verbal sparring between the commission and church spokesman Greg Pirkle.

Commission members said they’d recommend the offer to the City Council if the church would forget about demolition. But church Pirkle said no.

“You’re asking the church to give you a two-year period and then come back and go through the same thing again, the same debacle … ,” Pirkle said. “The church gets nothing from what you’re offering. It may not be your intent, but it’s the result.”

Commission member Doyce Deas said the group might require more than two years to secure grants and other funding sources to relocate and renovate the three-story structure. She asked for more leniency, but Pirkle said two years should be enough.

“I had hoped that the church would want this to work out,” Deas said.

Responded Pirkle: “I had hoped that the city would work with us.”

If the city doesn’t take the house, he noted, it can’t apply for grants or historic status. But the church won’t offer the house without the caveat. And it won’t seek grants or funding itself, he said.

Calvary bought the Spain House along with several other properties in 2006. Plans to renovate it proved cost prohibitive. The church now wants to use the site for a parking lot, Pirkle said.

Several City Council members attended the public hearing, which was held at 5 p.m. at City Hall. Ward 3 Councilman Jim Newell offered to discuss the issue further with all parties, hoping for a suitable agreement.

The council likely will deal with the issue soon: Pirkle said his group will appeal the demolition denial to the city Planning Committee, which makes its recommendation to the council.

The church’s offer still stands if demolition is included after two years, Pirkle said. But he said the appeal will focus on the immediate destruction permit; not the offer.

Contact Emily Le Coz at (662) 678-1588 or emily.lecoz@djournal.com.