Three structures in the 100 block of West Main Street should start coming down soon, and officials are working to resolve issues with the Parker House and former Gross Feibel building, administrators said at Tuesday’s regular Hillsboro City Council meeting.
Interim Safety and Service Director Dick Donley said the owners of three buildings at 115, 117 and 119 W. Main St. have agreed to let Evans Construction take them down. Donley said preliminary work could begin on the buildings as early as Thursday when Evans representatives were expected to be in town.
“Probably next week, he’s going to move in with his heavy-duty stuff and start getting things going and cleaning up the eyesore,” Donley said.
Mayor Drew Hastings said the Hillsboro Community Improvement Corporation has filed an affidavit on the city’s behalf claiming the Parker House, also in the 100 block of West Main Street, was improperly deeded to the CIC.
Donley said Thursday that Jack Hope, the owner of the building, or his representatives, filed a deed gifting the Parker House to the city. But Donley said the city never filed any paperwork accepting the gift.
Hastings said the city is working to resolve those issues.
Council member Mary Stanforth asked if Evans Construction’s demolition work was also going to include the Gross Feibel building, and Donley said it would not. He said the property has been discussed with Evans, but since it’s the end of the year, the city does not have the funds to start that project at this time.
He said there has been discussion about removing the structure’s steel and taking it off site, then crushing the brick and concrete to be used as fill for a parking lot. He said not having to remove the brick and concrete would save money.
Donley also said there have been discussions about removing the canopy from the former BP Station, also in the 100 block of West Main Street, to make the property more attractive to a potential buyer.
In other news from the meeting, Hastings told council that the Hillsboro Planning Commission heard requests for sign variances from the Northside Church of Christ, Alley 21 and Jason Brown, but no action was taken. He also said the city will be erecting five new “gateway” signs at entrances to Hillsboro and that they should be up in the near future.
In another development, Donley said he has spoken with someone interested in building condominiums on North West Street near Pea Ridge Road. He said the planning commission will address that issue.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
