A dangerous building in Mount Airy that’s attracted much attention from city officials in recent months is now in the hands of a local business with some definite plans for the property.
“Bobby Koehler has purchased the Koozies building with the intention of taking it down,” Mayor Ron Niland said Wednesday of the latest development involving the controversial structure at 455 Franklin St., calling this “a major update.”
The disclosure of its acquisition is coming less than three weeks after the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners voted to seek proposals from contractors to tear down the structure. It is in violation of city building codes and considered a major public safety threat due to fears it might collapse in the street.
In February, the commissioners had voted to give the then-owner of the building, National Decon Holdings in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, 90 days to either repair the structure or have it razed. The company took no action to remedy the situation, based on information presented at the Aug. 4 meeting when the demolition directive was issued.
But the purchase by Koehler — the owner of Ultimate Towing and Recovery in Mount Airy, which is part of J&E Properties of North Carolina based on Park Drive, the official buyer of the Koozies building — has injected a new wrinkle.
“It’s going to change everything,” Mayor Niland said, “where we are and what goes forward.”
This is coinciding with Koehler’s acquisition of a site that formerly was a Quality Mills facility and in more recent years housed a private nightclub known as Koozies. “He just bought the property this week,” Niland added Wednesday.
In more recent years, the structure fell into major disrepair and since last fall had been the site of two fires linked to occupation by homeless persons.
Its purchase by Koehler means the Koozies building’s days are numbered.
“He’s already got a permit to take it down,” said Niland, who didn’t know when the demolition will commence.
City provided spark
The mayor believes the forceful position taken by city officials prompted National Decon Holdings to facilitate the sale of the Franklin Street property. “I think they finally saw the light.”
City Manager Stan Farmer agreed.
“The council deserves credit for taking the action in February,” he said Wednesday.
Niland said the fact the site is now in local hands also represents a good situation in light of plans by Koehler to raze the building “and turn it into something productive for the city.”
What that might be was unclear Wednesday.
“I don’t know that he has any plans yet,” the mayor said of Koehler’s vision for the open land to be left behind.
Koehler could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
The mayor also said he did not know the purchase price for the property.
However, county tax records indicate that this sum is $54,000. The total taxable value of the property is listed as $115,520. This apparent bargain is misleading given the fact that the “privilege” of owning it comes with the expected hefty price tag of the tear-down.
Koehler previously bought another nearby building deemed unfit for occupancy, the old Mittman Paint and Body Shop at 109 S. South St. It was one of three included in the city’s 90-day ultimatum in February, along with the Koozies site and what is referred to in municipal documents as the “red building” at 600 W. Pine St. beside Worth Honda.
The Ultimate Towing and Recovery owner submitted the highest bid of $38,000 for the Mittman property during a public auction on April 1.
That building has remained standing since, with plans reportedly in the works by the new owner to mitigate that situation.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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