Prominent building in Eldorado downtown area collapsing

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The city of Eldorado regularly demolishes vacant, dilapidated buildings - as they become available to the city and as money becomes available for demolition.

More than 300 eyesores have been removed in recent years.

Now, the city is confronted with a dilapidated building members of the City Council believe must be demolished with all haste.

The roof of a two-story structure at 1338 and 1340 Locust Street in the immediate downtown - near the Methodist Church - has collapsed.

"It appears the roof has fallen in and pushed the walls out," City Attorney C. Mart Watson told commissioners.

Council on Tuesday rapidly enacted enabling legislation to allow Watson to start court proceedings designed to lead to repair or demolition of the structure.

While council acted with haste, the process through the court system apparently wont be as rapid.

First, the city must determine ownership and then send a notice to repair or demolish the building. There is a waiting period of 15 days before another step may be taken, Watson told the council.

Mayor Rocky James said he has been getting calls about the building, which now is barricaded and roped off.

Residents want to see the matter handled rapidly; James said proper procedures must be followed or the city will become liable for a lawsuit.

"People are going to have to be patient," he said. "We have it barricaded off. I don't like it; it doesn't look good in our city."

After notice has been served and a waiting period is complete, Watson will be able to go to court to get a court order for repair or demolition by the owner, ask the court permission to demolish the building with the city pursuing the owner for recovery of costs or go to the court to have the building declared abandoned with the court deeding it to the city.

Watson said he is checking into having the building declared abandoned, but is not yet certain all criteria are met.

Watson also said there are legal problems with demolishing the building because the walls on both sides are common.

One adjoining property owner, David Edmister, already has said he is willing to cooperate with the city on the common wall. Present at the Tuesday council meeting, he repeated that pledge.

Commissioners indicated growing concern about the collapsing building.

While he was passing the building, Commissioner Robby Price said he saw three youngsters raise the barricade tape and enter the barricaded area.

"They don't care," he said.

Commissioner Jeff Minor is concerned about the interior pressure on the walls of the structure, especially the Locust Street side.

"I would sure hate to see that building fall onto a car," he said, recalling the death several years ago of a motorist struck by a falling tree on state Route 34.

Ordinance officer Billy Bradley warned council another building now is approaching the same condition - the old Pontiac garage.

"It is getting ready to fall down," he said.

While the Locust Street building drew the most attention of council, an ordinance also was passed ordering the repair or demolition of a second property, 725 Benton Street.