March 29, 2024

Four buildings to be demolished by city

Three buildings located south of Skiff Medical Center and one a block southeast on East Fourth Street North were boarded up and marked for demolition, but they won’t be gone for at least a few months.

The houses and apartment buildings located at 315, 323 and 403 on North Fourth Street East and 304 E. Fourth St. N. are the four buildings recently purchased by the city as a part of the Dangerous and Dilapidated (D&D) program.

“Instead of having a blighting effect on the neighborhood, they buy them to tear them down,” Mel Duncan, city building official said. The D&D program is a tool for the city to address eyesores in the community and negotiate with the owner based on the land value. The city then demolishes the structures in an attempt to sell the properties.

Duncan said that in a lot of cases, the buildings were too expensive to rehabilitate and update to current codes. Also, some owners will even approach the city with the properties so they no longer have the responsibility of caring for them. Older owners and retirees are often those who choose to work the city, as well as those who do not have the funds for needed repairs, he said.

To start the process, the city will begin sending out bid packets to potential contractors and give them an adequate amount of time to respond. After bids are submitted, the best and often the lowest bid will be brought to the city council for approval. If approved, the city will work with the contractor to establish a time line to complete the job. The entire process usually lasts from three to six months.

After properties are demolished, the city seeds the ground but does not always have an end use in mind. Often times, adjoining businesses to the open lot will be interested in the properties and approach the city. The city is willing to look at giving incentives for development on the properties, such as reduced selling price if a new business is building on the grounds.

Contact Staff Writer Jamee A. Pierson at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.