Monday, October 29, 2018

Not the Ending We Hoped For

This morning, I drove up the 200 block of Cherry Alley and took this picture of 211 Union Street from the rear.
When I took the picture, I had no hint of what had happened only hours before. At 4 o'clock this afternoon, I received the following message from Hudson's code enforcement officer Craig Haigh.
I just left the 211 Warren Street site with some unfortunate news. A large section of the front wall foundation gave way and collapsed sometime last night or this morning. The shoring company is unable to get into that area, which they were going to do today, due to the unsafe conditions. This would have been the final phase of shoring. With that said, and talking to the owners and their engineers and our engineer, there is nothing else they can do safely. They will be demolishing the building tomorrow.
The owner tried to save it and is unsure what to do moving forward.
Mayor Rick Rector told Gossips he was extremely disappointed with the outcome. "The owners and the City did everything they could to save it. They looked at every possibility," said Rector. "It was a herculean effort, but at the end of the day, it's all about public safety." 
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4 comments:

  1. Five and DiamondOctober 29, 2018 at 6:12 PM

    Any good antique wallpaper in there?

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  2. j kayOctober 29, 2018 at 6:41 PM

    all that rain --- im sure the water didnt help

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  3. PewtetraOctober 30, 2018 at 8:56 AM

    As a dog owner who regularly viewed this building from the alley, I'm surprised it stood as long as it did. While the facade was brick the rest of the building was wood, rotting badly, open to the elements and caving in on itself.The building was purchased in 2011. So it had 7 years to rot.

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    Replies
    1. unheimlichOctober 30, 2018 at 12:48 PM

      I observed the same thing, and always wondered if it wasn't another case of "demolition by neglect"? (§169-2(31)).

      That would be the greatest parody involving the owner's name.

      Seriously, though, the owner is in the housing business?! No doubt they're subsidized to the hilt on our taxes.

      If so, then it's another case of government-sponsored vandalism.

      Delete