RM 12-04-81 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

South Bend edevelopment Commission Regular Mee ing - December 4, 1981 5. COMMUNIOATIONS (continued) doing t e wrong thing by trying to demolish the build- ing. It is a very sound building, better built than about five of the other buildings you can look out through here, and looking from the plans it's got one helluva deep foundation and I don't want to dig it out. It's ve y well built and I hate to see it destroyed, and I h ve nothing to gain or lose with you really, suit yoursel es. Mr. Nim z: Thank you. Unless there are objections from the Mem ers of the Commission, we will proceed to open bids. 4. RECEIPTIAND OPENING OF BIDS R DEMOLITION CONTRACT NO. 43 Mr. Butler: Mr. Chairman, perhaps while I am opening these bids and taking a quick look at them to review the legal s fficiency, I'd like to make a statement for the record. I have said to the Members of the Commission and to the staff for a number of months now that the Odd Fellows Building is a serious liability risk for the City of South Bend. It has deteriorated to a point where it has become such a serious risk. Something has to be done, i has to be done immediately. The alternatives are the repairs, and it is my understanding that the re- pairs n cessary to secure the building in such a way to eliminate that risk would be in the vicinity of $150,000. Within that first alternative there are a number of options with respect to who is to pay for those neces- sary re airs. The second alternative, of course, is the demolition. Something does have to be done, a decision does ha e to be made with respect to these alternatives immediately. If the Commission were to decide to wait the 90 cays, we cannot wait 90 days to accomplish the repairs that are necessary, those have to be made immed- iately and, of course, a decision would have to be made as to w ere the money is going to come from. Mr. Nim z: Mr. Hill. Mr. Hill: I want to confirm the concern from the stand- point of liability to consider that the downtown area would be the biggest potential for such a liability in that particles of the building were falling down on the street and, as this Commission knows, the Commission is self-insured, meaning that we do have limitations in terms o funds that are available to pay for general liability. And should the building not come down, that should be addressed and confirmed. Kevin's comment that th building should be secured from the standpoint 23 BIDS WERE OPENED FOR DEMOLITION CONTRACT NO. 43 (ODD FELLOWS BUILDING)