By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
for Glasgow News 1
The Glasgow Common Council Finance Committee members have agreed to allow the mayor to take some necessary steps that could result in the city’s acquisition of a downtown piece of property that would be donated by another council member.
Patrick Gaunce had considered demolishing a row of one-story buildings – 210, 212, 214 and 216 W. Main St. – that he bought in the past two or three years that formerly housed, for example, an Arts Guild of the Barrens’ gallery, 212 on the Main. This parcel of property is immediately west of the multistory Mitchell Terry Building that was also purchased at the same time by Gaunce, where a mural made to look like a bookcase now adorns its West Main Street side. Just past the buildings, continuing west, are a vacant lot that belongs to the county and then the county attorney’s office building.
Gaunce had decided the cost of demolition was more than he wanted to expend.
Then, a few months ago, April Russell, now the new city administrative officer/grant writer and administrator, went to him with an idea he considered a possible solution for what to do with the property.
She envisioned that it could be a good space for what’s known as a pocket park – a few picnic tables, shade structures, benches, etc., for example. In addition, a staircase to the city parking lot just behind where those buildings are now – with a little vegetation in between – would be constructed and the retaining wall between the two properties would be reinforced.
She said it would just be an open area where people could just take a little break or stop and eat lunch, for example.
“It wouldn’t be playground-type park area, it is more of just a picnic area,” Russell said.
In the meantime since she first went to him with the suggestion after talking with the mayor about it, Gaunce said he has spoken with his attorney to help ensure there could not be any ethical issues that would arise from the contribution, and he’s had the property appraised, with that figure coming in at around $70,000. His thought was that the city could use in-house equipment and labor to demolish the property at less cost than anyone could hire a contractor to do it.
In addition, at the mayor’s request, Jim McGowan, superintendent of the Glasgow Department of Public Works, has visited the property with two individuals who specialize in assessing potential hazardous materials, like asbestos, that would have to be abated before the structures are torn down, Mayor Henry Royse told the committee at its meeting Monday evening.
“It would cost us about $115,000 to tear that building down, to get rid of the asbestos that’s in it in a proper way to dispose of asbestos, hose down the shingles, and there’s a retaining wall that would have to be built back there, too,” he said. “That’s the reason we want to talk about it, because it’s a $70,000 contribution that would take us about $115,000 to utilize. Now, April tells me there are 50/50 grants available if we want to do something like this.”
Royse said it’s “much broader than a financial thing,” though adding that the downtown could use something like this.
“They’re not making more land in downtown, but at the same time, there’s no way to ignore the asbestos,” he said.
He said the stairwell access to the parking lot is appealing to him as well due to the lack of other parking along that stretch of West Main.
Russell said she can’t apply for the land and water grant until the spring, but she’s not sure whether it could cover the actual demolition, so she’d have to check on that.
“I know it covers any improvements,” she said.
Royse said there has also been discussion of there possibly being space for a couple of food trucks to pull in there.
Councilman Terry Bunnell said he also likes the idea of the stairwell access.
“It would improve the aesthetics of the town square. That’s a positive to it,” he said. “There are benefits to having a facility like this. Small gatherings – 50, 75 people, probably not more than that. … As you mentioned, the opportunity to [acquire] is now.”
Royse said they haven’t agreed to accept it yet.
Bunnell said that of course the down side is the city would be spending the cost mentioned above plus the purchase of tables, benches, etc. and any maintenance it requires.
Russell said the goal is to make it as low-maintenance as possible.
Royse said, “Because of the asbestos, Jim does not want our people tearing it down.”
Russell said other factors in that are also the proximity to other buildings and the parking-lot wall that is in poor shape.
Royse said this could actually give them the opportunity to prevent a disaster with that wall, and he added that city personnel could take care of that work, and he thought it would be similar in cost to a shorter one the city repaired along North Race Street that was around $28,000.
Russell said McGowan had said DPW personnel could also take care of removal of debris.
Councilman Freddie Norris said they could approve the acceptance of the property without moving forward on the rest of it for a few months, to see what the grant situation is.
Royse said he could ask Gaunce what his timeline is for wanting to do this.
Councilwoman Chasity Lowery asked whether this would present any ethical conflict because of Gaunce’s being on the council.
Royse responded, “He’s not getting anything out of it other than just a tax credit for giving it.”
Bunnell said they wouldn’t be out any money for the property itself costs associated with the demolition and renovation could rise, but the property is going to continue deteriorating in the meantime, and he’s also concerned about that parking lot wall.
“It’s not a pretty scene, and this would be a way to rectify that and invest in our downtown area …,” he said. “I think we move forward with it. I think it’s a positive move for the city.”
Royse said he would be conferring with the city attorney and the city’s safety officer regarding having insurance in place and the cost for that, but he wasn’t sure he could get everything ready for the full council to approve even just the acceptance of the donation by Monday’s regular council meeting, so it may not be on the agenda until the following meeting.
A motion for the mayor to proceed to the full council for the acceptance of the property contribution and that they begin plans for the development of a pocket park there was approved unanimously.
The other member of the committee is Councilman Marlin Witcher, who had asked one or two questions during the discussion.
Gaunce, who was not at the committee meeting, said Wednesday that he wants to do this primarily because he sees it as something beneficial for the downtown area.
“I just think it’s the right thing to do for the community. Those buildings are old, and the way I see it, it benefits everybody,” he said, acknowledging that it’s a good way for him to get rid of them and that he does intend to write off the contribution on his tax return, but he wants to be transparent about the process and his intentions.
He said the farthest-west building is in bad shape and parking has always been a challenge to access businesses there.
NOTE: The third and fourth paragraphs of this report have been clarified since it was originally published.
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