The historic site where Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was born is closed for repairs, officials said Sunday.
Officials with the National Park Service said professionals will have to inspect “structural damage” to determine how long repairs will take.
“On Saturday Aug. 6, a structural issue with the sub-floor of the home was observed,” the organization said in a statement. “The decision was made to temporarily close the home and suspend tours for safety reasons as preserving the home and protecting visitors are our primary responsibilities.”
The park had already scheduled a condition assessment project for the birth home to begin the week of Aug. 8.
The house, which was built in 1894, is located at 501 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta. The home was purchased in 1909 by Rev. Adam Daniel Williams, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, for $3,500. Rev. Williams moved into the house with his wife Jennie Celeste and their 6-year-old daughter, Alberta Christine, their only child of three to survive infancy.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in the home on Jan. 15, 1929.
MORE: 29 facts about Martin Luther King Jr.
No further information was available about when the house might open to the public.
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