Go Fund Me set up to save Carson City building home to Cafe at Adele’s

The Carson City Historical Society has launched a fundraising campaign to preserve the 155-year-old Adele’s building at 1112 N. Carson St.

The board set up a Go Fund Me page with the effort to raise $100,000. Those funds would be made available to a future building owner in exchange for a commitment to the preservation of the historical portion of the building, the society said in a press release.

The property has been for sale since 2018 and the restaurant was closed in March after a fire in the laundry area. The owners, Charlie and Karen Abowd, have been unable to reach an agreement with their insurance provider to cover the $1.5 million needed to rehabilitate it.

Last week, the Planning Commission approved a special use permit to let the Chevron gas station and ExtraMile convenience store next door expand into the property, which would require tearing down the historic building.

At the meeting, Frank Lepori, owner, Frank Lepori Construction Inc., the contractor on the project, agreed to make the building available at no cost to anyone who wanted to take responsibility for moving it to another location.

“So many of our historic buildings have been demolished over the years — the Virginia and Truckee engine house, Nevada Orphans Home, Central School (across from Brewery Arts), Odd Fellows Hall (across from the Blasdel building) and others. The Carson City Historical Society hopes to save Adele’s through community donations to this preservation fund. Please help us save this once beautiful home for our future generations,” said Jeff Loflin, CCHS president.

According to CCHS, the historic building was built by Captain Porter of the V & T workshops in 1874 and purchased by Benjamin F. Slater in the 1880s. It is a Victorian home with Empire-style Mansart roof and dormer windows. It was home to Judge Michael A. Murphy who lived there in the 1890s and later became the home of Frank E. Murphy who worked for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad in the 1920s.

The building needs to be moved from its current Carson Street site and relocated by March 1.

According to the society, should Adele’s not be saved, funds raised will be earmarked for future preservation or historic projects in Carson City. The society is proud of its success in working with the community in saving the Foreman Roberts House, and looks forward to success again in working with the community to save the Adele’s building.