Jefferson City council votes to demolish crumbling downtown building
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Jefferson City will pay for the demolition of the building at 200 E. High St., which partially collapsed in June of 2018.
The city council approved a deal between the owners of the 200 and 202 E. High St. The two buildings have been vacant for more than a year after city staff deemed them dangerous.
The owner of 200 E. High St., Andy Neidert, and the owners of 202 E. High St, Carol and Ruben Wieberg, signed the deal prior Tuesday's council meeting. The Wieberg's building is implicated because it shares a wall with 200 E. High St.
The Council voted 7-2 in favor of demolishing only 200 E. High St.
Demolition company ARSI Inc. estimated that the demolition of only 200 E. High would cost $186,000. The city will issue tax liens on Neidert for reimbursement.
The exact terms of the agreement, including the total cost-share between the Neidert and the city for the demolition, are still a closed record until the agreement is officially authorized, according to City Counselor Ryan Moehlman.
Council members Ron Fitzwater and Carlos Graham voted against the city taking on the demolition.
"I'm for taking down 200 E. High St. so we can save 202 (E. High St.)," Graham said before the vote. "But for us to spend tax payer’s dollars for someone else’s building, I don’t this is right."
Previously, city staff proposed demolishing both buildings, an idea the Wiebergs have consistently contested.
Neidert agreed to give up his property. According to the agreement obtained by ABC 17 News, Neidert has 10 days to transfer ownership of the shared wall to the Wiebergs, and the rest of the land to the city government.
The Wiebergs agreed to permanently drop all litigation against the city and Neidert, including one case currently pending in the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals.
In late 2018, Neidert filed a lawsuit against the Wiebergs claiming ownership of the shared wall. A judge agreed with Neidert, citing an agreement from 1892.
The council set aside money for the demolition in December.
