Columbus, Georgia

Agenda Item ________



COLUMBUS CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT



COUNCIL MEETING



September 2, 2003



Agenda Report #______________



TO: Mayor and Councilors



SUBJECT: Bids for Demolition of Derelict Buildings by City Contract



INITIATED BY: Department of Economic and Community Development



*********************************



Recommendation: Approve the cost of the demolition of three structures, as

priced by Reaves

Wrecking Company, Inc. A Status Report and Chronology is attached for each

structure.



Background: Upon routine investigation, Housing Code Inspectors made

inspections of the properties, took photographs and wrote up the structures

according to the unsafe building ordinance (Section 8-81 - 8-90 of the Columbus

Code of Ordinances). Inspections and Code Enforcement Division notified the

owners of the hearings, held hearings, and then mailed notices to the owners,

giving them 45 days in which to demolish or to repair the structures.



Analysis: No progress has been made on the following: 312 - 8th Street,

Green, and 2927 E. 7th Street - James. Debris remains at 148 Torch Hill Road,

Cook.



Alternatives: The only alternative to the City?s proceeding with the

demolition will be for the owners to complete the demolition of the structures

prior to approval by Council.



Financial Considerations: Demolitions under City contracts are funded by the

Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG). The City has signed an

annual contract with Reaves Wrecking Company, Inc., to do all of the

demolitions for the City. Upon completion of the demolitions, the City will

pay Reaves with funds from CDBG and will file liens against the properties for

the cost of the demolitions. These liens will have to be repaid to the City

before the owners can sell the properties.



Legal Considerations: All precautions have been taken to assure that the

owners received proper notification of all actions by the City. The annual

contract between Reaves Wrecking Company, Inc., and the City outlines the

responsibility of Reaves in performing their work.



Recommendations/Actions: Approve the costs, as priced by Reaves, for the

demolition of the structures and the clearing of the lots of the debris.



WLDJr:jsd





STATUS & CHRONOLOGY OF PROPERTY UNDER DEMOLITION NOTICE



OWNER: COOK, Lovett, II



ADDRESS: 148 Torch Hill Road



DATE: September 2, 2003



I: LOCATION: Tax Map 62, Block 41, Lot 15



II: CONDITION AND CURRENT STATUS OF BUILDING



At the time original inspection was made, structure was 10% - 100%

burned. Owner has done nothing either to repair or demolish.



III: CHRONOLOGY



11-7-02 Housing Code Inspector inspected the property, and found the

structure to be fired damaged, made photographs of the property, and wrote

up "Inspector's Condemnation Report".



1-8-03 Notice of hearing to be held mailed to owner of record.



1-22-03 Hearing held. Forty-five day "Notice to Repair or Demolish" mailed

to owner.



4-7-03 Inspections revealed that some demolition has been done.



6-11-03 Letter mailed to owner that we were requesting asbestos survey,

after which we would get price from Reaves Wrecking, and send to Council

for approval of demolition.



6-11-03 Requested asbestos survey from GLE Associates.



6-28-03 Owner's attorney, William Wright, called and requested thirty (30) days

to complete demolition.



7-10-03 Received asbestos survey from GLE Associates.



7-24-03 Demolition is not complete.



8-26-03 Scott Cawley, Reaves Wrecking Company, Inc., priced the cost of

completing the demolition at $1,050.00 and GLE Associates priced the cost of

asbestos survey at $325.00, totaling $1,375.00.





CHRONOLOGY

Page 2

September 2, 2003



8-27-03 Re-inspections and new photographs revealed that no additional

progress has been made.



8-29-03 Letter mailed to owner advising the cost of demolition and Council

dates.



9-9-03 Ordinance providing for demolition goes to Council for first reading.







STATUS & CHRONOLOGY OF PROPERTY UNDER DEMOLITION NOTICE





OWNER: GREEN, Gladys



ADDRESS: 312 - 8th Street



DATE: September 2, 2003



I: LOCATION: Tax Map 19, Block 30, Lot 18



II: BUILDING CONDITON AND CURRENT STATUS:



At the time original inspection was made, structure was

dilapidated. Owner has done nothing either to repair or demolish structure.



III: CHRONOLOGY



9-24-02 Housing Code Inspector inspected the property, and found the

structure to be dilapidated, made photographs of the property, and wrote

up "Inspector's Condemnation Report".



10-9-02 Notice of hearing to be held mailed to owner of record.



10-23-02 Hearing held. Forty-five day "Notice to Repair or Demolish" hand

delivered to owner.



10-31-02 Owner advised that property was involved in divorce litigation and that

she planned to sell. This litigation continued until May, 2003.



12-12-02 Inspections revealed that no progress has been made.



4-21-03 Letter mailed to owner that we were requesting asbestos survey,

after which we would get price from Reaves Wrecking, and send to

Council for approval of demolition.



4-21-03 Requested asbestos survey from GLE Associates.



5-29-03 Received asbestos survey from GLE Associates.



5-23-03 Scott Cawley, Reaves Wrecking Company, Inc., priced the cost of

completing the demolition at $7,695.00 and GLE Associates priced the cost

of asbestos survey at $510.00, totaling $8,205.00.



6-24-03 Attorney John Cartledge advised that this sale would close tomorrow.



CHRONOLOGY

Page 2

September 2, 2003



8-6-03 Mr. Cartledge advised that this sale did not culminate.



8-27-03 Re-inspections and new photographs revealed that no other progress

has been made.



8-29-03 Letter mailed to owner advising demolition cost and Council dates.



9-9-03 Ordinance providing for demolition goes to Council for first reading.







STATUS & CHRONOLOGY OF PROPERTY UNDER DEMOLITION NOTICE





OWNER: JAMES, Cora Mae Coleman



ADDRESS: 2927 E. 7th Street



DATE: September 2, 2003



I: LOCATION: Tax Map 50, Block 46, Lot 17



II: BUILDING CONDITION AND CURRENT STATUS:



At the time original inspection was made, structure was 15% - 100%

weathered. Owner has done nothing either to repair or demolish.



III: CHRONOLOGY



8-7-01 Housing Code Inspector inspected the property, and found the

structure to be damaged and weathered, made photographs of the property,

and wrote up "Inspector's Condemnation Report".



9-12-01 Notice of hearing to be held mailed to owner.



9-26-01 Hearing held. Forty-five day "Notice to Repair or Demolish" hand

delivered to owner.



11-9-01 Inspections revealed that some progress has been made.



11-19-01 Letter mailed to owner that we were requesting asbestos survey,

after which would get price from Reaves Wrecking, and send to Council for

approval of demolition.



11-19-01 Requested asbestos survey from GLE Associates.



12-6-01 Owner made application to City for financial assistance.



12-21-01 Received asbestos survey from GLE Associates.



7-02 House went into foreclosure.



8-29-02 Owner advised that she was in bankruptcy.



9-11-02 Bankruptcy attorney advised that this was protected by bankruptcy.

City could not continue with demo process.

CHRONOLOGY

Page 2

September 2, 2003



4-25-03 Advised by owner's attorney that she was no longer in bankruptcy.

House was not in foreclosure.



5-23-03 Scott Cawley, Reaves Wrecking Company, Inc., priced the cost of

completing the demolition at $2,559.50 and GLE Associates priced the cost

of asbestos survey at $332.00, totaling $2,891.50.



8-22-03 Foreclosure attorney advised that mortgage holder chose not to

foreclosure because there is no equity in house.



8-27-03 Re-inspections and new photographs revealed that no other progress

has been made.



8-29-03 Letter mailed to owner advising cost of demolition and Council dates.



9-9-03 Ordinance providing for demolition goes to Council for first

reading.