Condemned downtown building to be demolished, replaced

RUSSELLVILLE — The condemned building that used to house the Faith Mission Outreach will be demolished and a new structure rebuilt in its place.

In an agreement city councilmembers approved July 2, the building located at 104 Jackson Ave. S. will be demolished and debris removed within 12 months, and a replacement structure built within 24 months after the demolition is completed.

E.B. Carroll, vice president of EcoBuilt Land Development, Inc., said crews plan to salvage original brick, flooring and crown molding for possible reuse.

Carroll has a contract for the demolition and reclamation work. Chad Warhurst owns the property. Carroll refused to detail the financial terms of the contract.

City Building Inspector Bill Fuller cited ongoing roof issues as a major cause of the deterioration of the building.

“I had to deem the building unsafe because of the … condition the building had gotten in,” Fuller said.

Mayor David Grissom said previous owners, over a period of several years, did not make any needed repairs to the roof. He said leaks and deterioration eventually compromised the building’s structural integrity.

Water entering through the roof caused extensive damage, Carroll said, particularly to the wood in the building.

“It’s beyond the point of saving,” he said. “Ideally, we could have saved it, but it’s just not feasible with the damage that exists.”

Warhurst said he originally hoped to save the building.

“I hate tearing it down,” he said. “I love old stuff.”

Carroll said demolition most likely will begin this month.

“The city council and I feel like this is the best option for the adjacent owners and the citizens,” Grissom said. “It hopefully will get rid of a bad situation and also result in an asset to downtown at no cost to the city.”

Carroll said some of the materials in the building could date before 1900.

“There’s beautiful, beautiful flooring,” Carroll said. “There’s some beautiful crown molding, and of course, the original brick is still all over that building.”

Carroll said he hopes to salvage as much as possible.

One possibility, he said, is to use original brick on the streetfacing side of the replacement structure, although workers will have to determine the condition of the brick as demolition proceeds.

“I’m not one of these guys that wants to go in and just knock it down, pile it up, burn it and be done,” Carroll said. “We want to preserve whatever we can.”

Carroll said the demolition process is designed both to protect the public and surrounding area and to allow workers to recover materials.

He said crews could complete the work sooner, but safety is the primary reason for allowing up to a year.

“Given the size of the building and the shape that it’s in, I would much rather take a full year to demo it and do it safely rather than try to rush it and end up having some sort of unexpected accident,” Carroll said.

The agreement requires demolition to follow plans and requirements established by a licensed structural engineer selected by Warhurst, Carroll and EcoBuilt.

It also stipulates the firm cover the demolition expenses and maintain at least $2 million in general liability insurance during demolition and debris removal.

Carroll identified Richard Edmonds as the structural engineer who prepared the demolition plan. He said the engineer’s report and additional paperwork must be completed before work can begin.

“We’ve got to have that information provided to us before we can allow it to start,” Fuller said.

Crews will begin work at the rear of the building, where Carroll said the structure has suffered its worst damage.

“First, we will be taking down brick on the rear of the building, just trying to salvage as much of that old original brick as we possibly can,” Carroll said.

Crews will fence the open lot behind the building, he said, and use it as a staging area for the demolition work. Carroll said he urges the public to remain outside the fenced area once work begins.

He said the building’s shared walls and its height in relation to an adjacent structure will present challenges during demolition.

Carroll said he does not expect the work to affect traffic, parking or access to surrounding businesses until the final phase of demolition.

Some disruption to travel will be necessary to safely remove the front of the building, he said, but the extent and duration of any closures have not been determined.

The agreement gives Warhurst, Carroll and EcoBuilt 2 years after completing demolition and debris removal to construct a replacement structure. Carroll said the intended redevelopment is mixed-use commercial.

The new building must comply with city ordinances and requirements, including aesthetic requirements.

The agreement also requires Warhurst, Carroll and EcoBuilt to consult with the city and receive suggestions concerning the design and materials used in the new construction.

If Warhurst, Carroll and EcoBuilt default on the demolition or construction requirements, the agreement allows the city, at its discretion, to assume ownership of the property, demolish the structure at the builders’ expense or take other action it considers necessary.

Grissom thanked City Attorney Danny McDowell and Fuller for working with the property owner and contractor to reach the agreement.

“This should be a very positive addition to our downtown redevelopment efforts,” the mayor said.