Both murals were paid for by the city at the start of its downtown murals program but are now peeling due to weathering and other factors.
The cement block of the building is porous and is causing the paint to peel, according to City Manager Sonny Lewis. He said there could be other factors affecting the brick due to chemicals and heat that many have leached into the walls during the building’s use as a dry cleaner.
“We get calls about the murals all of the time,” Lewis told council. “People love them.”
Franklin City Councilman Scott Lipps raised concern about the condition of the murals during Monday’s City Council meeting and believes the city should save them.
“It will get worse if it’s not addressed,” Lipps said, adding that the cost could be between $10,000 and $40,000.
For those who may balk at such a price point, Lipps points out that the city will spend several thousand dollars for a fireworks show lasting a few minutes.
“Fifteen thousand dollars is a long-term investment,” Lipps said. “The murals help to enhance Franklin’s image.”
The city recently acquired property near the former dry cleaners and plans to market it in the future, according to Jim Mears, a Main Street business owner and former mayor. If the city allows the murals to deteriorate, it will make marketing the property much more difficult, he said.
“That was one of the first murals and it ought to be taken care of and the city knew it had to be maintained,” Mears said.
Donnie Hale, the building’s owner, said he prefers to see the murals saved, but he does not know who should be responsible for their upkeep.
“I’ve received a lot of positive comments and have seen people take pictures of it many times,” he said. “The mural talks about trains. It’s a beautiful building mural and is very appropriate for Franklin. It really would be nice if we could keep this.”
Mayor Denny Centers said he would support funding to restore the mural.
“We’re going to do our best to save it,” he said.
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