MOUNT VERNON — After further discussion, the owner of the former middle school on North Mulberry Street will be given more time.
At their meeting Tuesday, members of the Dilapidated Building Commission agreed to send a letter to city officials, recommending the corporate owner be given 30 days to seal up the building, or face charges in court. In turn, city officials will forward the recommendation to the city law director, who will send a letter to the corporation, notifying it of the 30-day period and possible consequence.
Two major issues the owner needs to comply with are sealing all of the openings through which people, vermin and birds can enter, and repair of the roof in the area of the cafeteria.
Council members John Fair and Mike Hillier attended the meeting. Fair said that as of last week, there were still access holes into the building, and someone tried to remove a metal grate.
“There seems to be a lot of activity still going on there, and we can’t expect the Mount Vernon Police Department to constantly patrol [the area],” he said. “We all know it’s not a secure building ... but it’s also not meeting ordinance.”
Fair said he has been in contact with a man who is interested in buying the building.
“If there is a possibility of wresting that building away ... and putting it with a legitimate organization that wants to use it, that’s what I want to do,” he said.
Hillier referred to a letter from the law director from June 2008 that cites the access holes and the leaks in the roof, along with the sections of city code violated.
“Those two items are the basis for going to court and giving him 30 days to make repairs,” said Hillier.
Charges have been filed in court relating to properties at 612 E. Gambier St., 908 W. High St., and 301 N. Norton. Properties at 306 N. Main St. and 11 Marion St. have been referred to the law director for preparation of charges.
In other business, the commission:
•Voted to condemn a garage at 610 W. Gambier St. and the house at 115 E. Vine St.
•Voted to demolish a garage at 616 Clinton; houses at 14 Cottage St., 3 Harcourt St., and 305 N. Norton St.; and a house and garage at 12 McKinley St. Funds for demolition of 616 Clinton St. and 12 McKinley are available through the Sychar Road Neighborhood Development Project. The cost of demolition will be put against owners’ tax bills; any money recouped will go back into the project fund. Costs of demolishing the other properties will also be put against tax bills.
•Agreed the city will explore purchasing the properties at 303 N. Jefferson and 101 Walnut St. through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
•Recommended the garages at 1114 N. Mulberry and 208 E. Hamtramck be referred to the law director for demolition.
