Demolition Salvation Army Building Bus Loop W

Jamestown (CSi)  Crews on Tuesday continued with the demolition of the former Mellands Building – for old timers –  on Business Loop West in Jamestown.  It most recently housed Salvation Army.

The building recently housed the Jamestown Salvation Army Thrift store, Electronic Doctors, and the center section was vacant.

The building had issues with the roof collapsing due to heavy snow loads.

Computer store was abandoned due to unsafe conditions, and the Salvation Army Store recently went out of business, and at last report was looking for new location.

Previously…

On March 3, 2020 The Jamestown City Council held a   Public Hearing held: Concerning the failure to comply with the notice of dangerous building condition at 202 Business Loop West.   City Building Inspector Tom Blackmore explained that last winter heavy snow collapsed the canopy, at which time Blackmore deemed the structure unsafe.  In January this the roof collapsed on the same building from the weight of more snow.  That portion of the building was determined as not inhabitable. This year, the owner was advised to provide the city with a plan of corrections, which Blackmore said he did not do. He advised the owner of Monday’s City Council Hearing to address the issue.

Base on the rooflines, Blackmore said there may be more than one building involved. The two adjacent structures are of similar construction. Blackmore said a structural analysis needs to be performed, concerning the Salvation Thrift Store, structure, and whether it should remain standing.

He said a report indicated that to repair the building it would cost more than demolition, and determined there are two separate structures, and the building east of the Salvation is not safe to inhabit. The west building analysis has not been conducted.

The building owner Russ Melland, spoke and said the building was constructed in 1957.

He said an engineer reported that the destroyed east section is cost prohibitive to repair.

He added that the Melland family has determined it is not prudent to repair the structure, and that the west side, the Salvation Army building may not be safe for continued occupancy, pending additional evaluation, and bringing it up to the current building code.

Contractor Jim Schmacher said that upon his inspection roof, the east building is not constructed to withstand a heavy snow load, and the same for the west building.

Salvation Army Major Judy Lowder said the Salvation Army thrift store is seeking another location, which has not yet been found.

The City Council then approved to take such action as deemed necessary on the property at 202 Business Loop West and declared the east portion of the building to be unsafe.

The City Council then approved an order to demolish the building, by May 1^st

On April 23, 2020 the City Council’s Building, Planning & Zoning Committee recommended and extension to the demolition date.