Parker Hotel coming down

0

The 100 block of West Main Street will be closed beginning on Monday, Feb. 24 for the emergency tear-down of the Parker Hotel, Hillsboro Public Works Superintendent Shawn Adkins told The Times-Gazette.

The closure will begin Monday at 9 a.m., and Adkins estimated that the demolition and removal should be complete by the evening of Friday, Feb. 28.

“They’re going to be moving equipment in, fencing, and actually start doing some handwork on the front of that Monday and Tuesday,” Adkins said. “The main tear-down will actually start Wednesday. Maybe some moving of equipment on Friday, and hopefully by Friday evening we’ll be able to open up West Main Street.”

While the 100 block of West Main Street is closed, Adkins said local traffic will be routed through side streets while semis will take Fenner Avenue, Harry Sauner Road or Hobart Road-Carl Smith Drive.

Adkins reminded those who may want to watch the demolition on Wednesday and Thursday to be careful.

“I’m sure there are going to be a lot of spectators,” Adkins said. “If people do come up, be mindful. Just watch the debris because when it hits the ground, it’s going to bounce pretty good. We just don’t want anybody getting hurt. That’s the whole reason for closing the whole street down partially: to keep people back.”

A temporary fence will span across U.S. Route 50 (Main Street) nearly to the sidewalk across the street from the Parker Hotel, and Adkinds said some businesses in the immediate area will be impacted.

“The barbershop and Momma’s will be closed during tear-down,” Adkins said. “The other ones aren’t going to have drive-up access, but 24 Deli, people could walk to those, but it won’t be available for any driving on West Main at all.”

According to representatives from 24 Deli & Pizza and Domino’s Pizza, both located across the street from the Parker Hotel, both restaurants will remain open.

Barber Matt Butler said Sonner’s Barbershop will be closed Wednesday, Feb. 26 through the weekend and will reopen Monday, March 2.

According to Bobbie Barr, an owner of Momma’s West Main Street Cafe, the cafe will be closed Monday, Feb. 24 through Friday, Feb. 28.

When asked if there were plans to salvage any materials from the Parker Hotel, Adkins said nothing will be salvaged.

“A lot of people haven’t been in it for several years. It’s in really bad shape,” Adkins said. “The wood floors are all hooved up from water damage. There’s mold in a lot of it. It’ll be sprayed with water for dust control, but we’re not doing anything for salvage.”

The city deemed the Parker Hotel, along with 119 W. Main St., uninhabitable in April 2019. A couple months later, the building at 119 W. Main St. collapsed.

In October, the buildings at 115, 117 and 119 W. Main St — Slow ‘n Low Barbeque, Bon Appetit Gourmet Shoppe and Gifts, and then-vacant Town Square Jewelers, respectively — were demolished.

At the Jan. 13 Hillsboro City Council meeting, Mayor Justin Harsha asked council if the city could use available funds to tear down the Parker Hotel. Council President Tom Eichenger said money was allocated to tear down the Parker Hotel in 2019, and the council voted unanimously by voice to use the funds for the demolition.

The following month, at the Feb. 10 council meeting, Harsha announced that the city had received a deed for the Parker Hotel and the demolition process could begin.

He said asbestos has already been removed from the structure.

“It looks like, hopefully, within two or three days it will be on the ground and taken care of,” Harsha said at the council meeting.

The council later voted 6-0 to approve an emergency resolution to begin demolition of the building.

Reach McKenzie Caldwell at 937-402-2570.

The Parker Hotel, right, is set to be demolished on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/02/web1_parker-hotel_edit.jpgThe Parker Hotel, right, is set to be demolished on Wednesday, Feb. 26. McKenzie Caldwell | The Times-Gazette
West Main 100 block in Hillsboro will be closed next week

By McKenzie Caldwell

[email protected]

No posts to display