Politics & Government

Old City Hall Block Fate Pondered

Duluth City Council, DDA reach consensus on demolishing three structures, rehabilitating three buildings.

 

The Duluth City Council and Downtown Development Authority reached consensus on demolishing three structures on the Old City Hall Block during a joint meeting Tuesday (March 20) night. Three other buildings would be fixed up to be usable for 10 years.

No official action was taken following a discussion led by City Manager Tim Shearer in front of a large aerial map of buildings on the block bound by Main Street, West Lawrenceville Street, Hill Street, and Abbotts Bridge Road (Ga. Hwy. 120). The discussion, conducted during the DDA’s regular meeting, will provide direction on dealing with the aging city-owned buildings in need of repairs on the historic block.

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“These buildings are in varying stages of decay,” Shearer said. The problems include leaking roofs and rotting floors as well as electrical and plumbing problems.

The structures that would be demolished at an estimated cost of $60,000 are buildings currently occupied by Boudreaux’s Cajun Seafood Market and the Boiler Room, a warehouse used by New Dawn Theater Company, and a rear covered alleyway between the theater and the warehouse. Their removal of these three structures would allow for more downtown parking and improve access from the parking area to and from businesses.

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The popular Boudreaux’s café recently was relocated to the Duluth Station shopping center and renamed Cafe Acadiana. The seafood market remained at its former location.

Buildings presently occupied by New Dawn Theater, Accessorize Again, and fyi Duluth Design Studio would be rehabilitated including new roofs if needed, electrical and plumbing upgrades, and a new sewer line.

The cost of rehabilitating these three buildings to 10-year functionality, plus a fourth building formerly occupied by the Duluth Art Gallery and Wallace Reid Portraiture, and demolishing the three other structures was estimated at $374,000. The cost would increase to about $720,000 if the four buildings were repaired to last 30 years and the three structures demolished. The 10-year option was preferred. Razing all six buildings would cost about $150,000.

Factors mentioned that might increase the cost included removing possible contaminated materials, such as asbestos. City planner Melissa Muscato said the city would need to hire a firm to assess environmental issues at a cost of about $8,000 for the entire block.

“We’re assuming if we do this, we’ll take it [rent] up to market rate” for the buildings that would be repaired, Chris McGahee, the city’s economic development manager, said. Most of the merchants in the Old City Hall Block pay reduced rents and do their own improvements and maintenance. City expenditures are limited to emergency repairs with a cap of $250.

Others involved in the discussion wondered whether the city could charge market rate rents for the old buildings, and, if it did so, whether they might stand vacant. “The payback may be less than expected,” said DDA member Ed Gulesserian. “I understand that we want to keep the lights on. If we have to get the tenants out [while repairs are being done] will they come back?”

The $1.7 million initial payment the city expects to receive from Gwinnett County as part of the Service Delivery Strategy settlement would be a possible funding source for the demolition and rehabilitation, Shearer said.

“I would want to move forward expeditiously,” Shearer said, noting the city should receive the SDS funds May 1. Councilwoman Marsha Bomar estimated the demolition probably would take three to six months.

Discussion participants were undecided about the fate of the large building recently vacated by the Duluth Art Gallery and Wallace Reid Portraiture. Tearing it down was estimated at costing $36,000, and bringing it up to 10-year standards at $110,000.

Shearer said that the Old City Hall originally used as a church, the adjacent former city administration building, and the parsonage were not immediate problems and were not addressed at the meeting. Church Ladies, a consignment shop, and two other businesses operate out of the Old City Hall. Sassy Girls boutique occupies the parsonage. The former city administration building, which experienced water damage in a sprinkler accident, is vacant.


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