Aleys to be closed during renovation (03/21/06)

A decision by a local board should make restoring a historic building safer.

Members of the Portland City Council voted Monday night to allow a local construction company to close portions of two alleys near the Weiler Building during phase one of the renovations to the building.

“(Safety is) our biggest concern here,” Mike Schwartz of general contractor Limberlost Construction, Geneva, told council members. Schwartz said he worried that debris could fall on passers-by.

Plans call for alleys to the east and south of the Weiler Building to be closed for three to four months while Limberlost works on the exterior of the building.

The alleys separate the Weiler Building and The Flower Nook to the east and the Portland Post Office to the south.

During construction, Schwartz proposed the post office drop boxes be temporarily relocated to the north-south alley to the east of the post office, Schwartz said. That alley is currently one-way to the south.

Council member Jim Sanders, a former postal worker, suggested the drop boxes instead be moved to the west side of the post office, along Meridian Street.

This would prevent drivers from having to make a sharp turn in the alley.

Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, said he would speak to the postmaster about placing the boxes where Sanders suggested.

Phase one of the John Jay Center for Learning project includes major roof repairs, replacement of windows, repair to the building’s facade and removal of hazardous materials. Phase one work is expected to begin the first week of April and take four months to complete, Schwartz said this morning. The portions of the alleys near the building will be closed the week of April 3. Dumpsters will be placed in the alleys for debris.

In other business, the council heard a local man suggest an amendment be made to the city’s junk vehicle ordinance.

Brian Stocker asked that race cars be exempt from the ordinance. He currently keeps two cars at his brother’s Portland residence. There is only room in the garage for one.

Stocker also suggested the ordinance only exempt race cars which are covered with fitted car covers. The covers would have to be put on within 48 hours of being parked, he said.

Hosier suggested the matter be tabled. Council members agreed.

Also Monday, the council:

•Heard Hosier announce the Gerber gravity sewer project is expected to begin sometime in the next month.

The project is designed to reduce the amount of sewage handled by the north lift station. Currently, the north lift, located along Industrial Park Drive, is doing more work than it can handle, causing it to sometimes overflow during heavy rains.

•Passed the Portland Redevelopment Commission’s confirmatory resolution, which confirms the declaratory resolution.

This document lists the goals of the redevelopment commission.

•Learned city officials will begin interviewing candidates for the city’s first ever code enforcement officer next week.

Hosier said the application deadline was Friday. The officer will be responsible for enforcing city ordinances, including those for junk properties and junk vehicles.

•Heard Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent, announce that the first city cleanup week of the year will be held April 3-7.

Large items such as furniture and brush will be collected. Only refrigerators, air conditioners and freezers which have had the Freon removed will be picked up. Hazardous materials and tires will not be collected.

These items will be picked up on the normal trash route.[[In-content Ad]]