Jefferson City state building owners do not plan to rebuild
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Bernard Groner and P&G Development Company have notified the state they do not intend to rebuild, according to Chris Moreland, public information officer for the Office of Administration. According to the cause of fire report, the fire did at least $2.5 million in damage.
After the building caught fire in Nov., Groner has been working on getting it demolished, which hasn't been the easiest process.
"Well, we have been at it about a week and a half. It took us longer to get to it than I hoped it did," said Groner.
Groner and P&G Development company has owned the 1621 E. Elm Street building since the mid-70s. It's the first building that got their company started.
Groner says the most challenging part was finding a company to do the work within the needed time frame at the right price. Darrell Wilber's Excavating agreed to complete the demolition and has about another week to go before the project will be complete.
When the building was in use, it was home to the Missouri Office of Administration and its ITSD department.
Some employees had worked in the building for 10 or more years and lost valuable items. Groner told ABC 17 News some employees were able to recover some of their things.
"There was some people that had some money in their drawers and stuff like that and told them where that was, and they found all that also," said Groner.
Groner said Wilber's excavating will lay some soil and make the land look presentable.
"I doubt if our group at our age will be building back, but you know the property will probably be for sale if somebody is interested," said Groner.
Groner and P&G development is now left with one building that they hope to keep. He says he hopes to never go through an incident like this again but says he is well prepared if he has to.
Moreland said the Office of the Administration continues to address building damage and has relocated employees to temporary alternative work locations. He said the lease and associated utilities at 1621 E. Elm Street have been terminated.
