Du Quoin targets apartment building on East Main Street

Last week part of the front balcony fell off the front of the two-story apartment building across from the Du Quoin Post Office and next door to Marks Bakery.

The building stands wide open and the only tenants are the dozens of pigeons that "fly sorties" in and out of the eaves and windows, according to Mayor Guy Alongi.

In his closing remarks at Monday night's council meeting he asked health and safety officer Ron Darnell to either seek immediate renovation or remediation of the property by owner Rick Fletcher of Murphysboro or the city can try to acquire it using TIF development funds with the ultimate goal of tearing it down and clearing the lot.

There are no tenants in what decades ago was a beautiful signature building at the entrance of the East Main Street residential neighborhood. Now, it stands wide open with pigeons trapped inside butting heads with upper story windows trying to get out.

Fletcher talked to the newspaper Tuesday and said he may have a woman interested in buying it who would move back to Du Quoin and renovate it. "I should know something Wednesday night." "If not, I'd take what I owe the bank on it--$18,000." The mayor's only comment: "I'm tired of looking at it evey time I go to the post office. We have a beautiful downtown."

The Marks family wants to see the building come down, then would go from there to see if there is a possibility for expanding the bakery.