More Changes On South Broad: Wallace Building Razed; Last Remaining House For Sale

  • Monday, July 11, 2022
  • John Wilson

More changes are happening on South Broad Street, which is just a short distance from a planned $1 billion development at the U.S. Pipe/Wheland property.

The Wallace Building, which dated to the late 1890s, was razed over the weekend.

Also, the last remaining house on South Broad is for sale.

The large two-story Wallace Building with an interesting stone facade was built by Charles R. Wallace at a time when this section of South Broad was known as Whiteside Street.

C.R. Wallace lived nearby at 1108 S. Broad at a time when houses were interspersed with businesses along the old route to Lookout Mountain.

Charles R. Wallace was president of the Farmers & Merchants Bank. He was also in business with his brother, J.H. Wallace.

They were carpet "renovators" and the Wallace Building was constructed to house the operation. Several apartments were included on the second floor.

Members of the Passons family in 1946 opened Broad Street Machine Co. in the Wallace Building. They were leaders in the production of tabletop tufting machinery that was sold over a wide area.

The business was established by Erby Lee Passons and Will Reece.

William Erby Passons Jr., a grandson of the founder, said the building on Broad Street was sold several years ago. The firm no longer produces new machines, but does provide parts for old ones.

He said of the Wallace Building, "It was an interesting old building. People were still living in the apartments when we bought it. I was hoping that they would find a reuse for the building."

First to be torn down was a section of offices the Passons had added to the right of the Wallace Building in the 1970s. Then the main building was bulldozed.

At 2440 South Broad is an interesting frame house that seems lost among the busy activity on the street these days.

It apparently has not been occupied as a home for many years.

The house, which includes a staircase leading to a second floor, is on the market for $320,000.

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