Buildings addressed

The board of works opened the lone bid to demolish one downtown building.

It will seek bids to demolish another while also working to find out what it would take to stabilize it instead.

Portland Board of Works on Thursday opened the lone bid for the demolition of the Bailey Building and took the next step toward potentially taking down the structure 208 and 210 N. Meridian St.

The only bid for the demolition of the Bailey Building, 201 through 205 W. Main St., came from JAShroyer Group of Muncie. It totaled $295,000 and covers asbestos removal, demolishing the building, removing debris and backfilling and leveling the lot.

The board took the bid under advisement to allow city attorney Wes Schemenaur to review it. Board member Steve McIntosh expressed concern that the bid does not include masonry work or other repairs to shared/adjacent walls. (The Bailey Building shares a wall with adjacent property owned by The Greazy Pickle.)

Thursday marked the second time the board of works has opened bids for the property. In March, it received bids of $187,500 from JAShroyer Group and $539,372.25 from Advanced Demolition Services of McComb, Ohio. At that time, the board chose to re-bid because of the wide disparity and to allow asbestos testing and an environmental study to be completed.

Board members Jerry Leonhard, Mayor John Boggs and McIntosh also approved advertising for bids for the demolition of the building at 208 and 210 N. Meridian St. owned by Juan Marentes. Bids will be accepted until 3:30 p.m. Oct. 5 and opened during the board’s meeting at 4 p.m. that day.

The board of works last month affirmed Jay/Portland Building and Planning’s unsafe building order for the structure. The order required that the building be torn down, or otherwise mitigated to make it safe, within 30 days. Once that time period passed, the city could advertise for bids for its demolition. (If demolition moves forward, the owner would be responsible to pay the cost or a lien will be placed on the property.)

Portland Fire Chief Mike Weitzel asked the board if it would look into what the cost would be to stabilize the building.

Boggs initially said it would be up to the owner to research that option, though he acknowledged that city council has expressed concern about removing a downtown building. He also expressed his concern that regardless of the path forward, the financial burden will fall on the city and that Portland may not be able to get possession quickly via the lien process.

“I just hate to see another empty lot, if it is salvageable,” Weitzel said.

The board also discussed the safety concerns with the building. Part of its west wall has collapsed, another section is leaning and several windows and doors on the west side are wide open.

“It just takes one person to get hurt,” said McIntosh, referencing both the Bailey Building, which is now city-owned, and Marentes’ building.

The board ultimately voted to seek an estimate on stabilizing the building, with Mike Schwartz of Limberlost Construction, Geneva, recommended for consultation.

“Then we can answer everybody’s questions,” said Boggs.

In other business, the board:

•Approved a purchase agreement with Jay County Civic Theatre for 204 E. High St., Portland, at a cost of $7,246.62. The organization’s purchase of the lot from the city is contingent on receiving a zoning variance.

•OK’d an amendment to the national opioid settlement agreement that reduces attorney fees. Portland’s cost will drop to $2,205,98 from the previous $2,700.

•Watched a brief video presented by Portland Fire Chief Mike Weitzel regarding lithium ion battery safety. (The video was to be part of fire department training later in the evening.) According to the National Transportation Safety Bureau, damaged cells in such batteries “can experience uncontrolled increases in temperature and pressure (thermal runaway), which can lead to hazards such as battery reignition/fire.”