Washington is pursing tax liens and penalties against the property at 312 Water St., which the city condemned as unsafe.
At its Oct. 7 meeting, the City Council directed the city manager and city attorney to pursue those liens and penalties. It also rescinded a demolition order it previously issued in regard to the property. The property is owned by William Henry. The property was condemned under the city’s demolition-by-neglect ordinance.
Previously, the city hired St. Clair Trucking to demolish the structure. During the delay in demolition, the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, as is its obligation, sought alternatives to the demolition process. Finding those alternatives included discussions with Preservation North Carolina, which is seeking a buyer for the property and performing maintenance on the property.
The Historic Preservation Commission recommended the City Council rescind its demolition order and either spend money (which would result in a lien on the property) to stabilize the house or immediately impose maximum demolition-by-neglect fines on Henry until he stabilizes the house. A petition with the names of people interested in having the demolition order rescinded was presented to the commission.
The council decided to accept the commission’s recommendations.
Councilman Bobby Roberson said he hopes the council’s action results in the house being saved and being restored to the city’s tax rolls.
“We’ll wait and see what happens,” Roberson said.
In other business, the council awarded a $22,700 contract to Roanoke Electric for the final phase of repairing the boardwalk along the city’s waterfront. That phase came in under the project’s $25,000 budget. Roanoke Electric did the second phase of the boardwalk-repair project.
The council also gave its permission for Washington Noon Rotary to install a swing on the west end of the Stewart Parkway promenade. The swing would match the one at Festival Park. It would be located in front of Dock B.