City mulls damage to Old City Hall, danger to public

The City Council expressed concern that the crumbling facade of the Old City Hall on South Grand Avenue is a danger to pedestrians but took no action as they considered their options at their May 8 meeting. City Administrator Arpegea Pagsuberon said the stucco material above one of the structure’s ornamental columns had begun falling onto the sidewalk during a recent windstorm. The City blocked off the front entrance to 117 S. Grand Ave. with cones and posted a warning, but that had not stopped the curious from standing under the unstable area, she said.

“It was really windy that day and chunks just started falling off the thing,” she said of the 100-year-old building. “We closed it because I was hoping that people wouldn’t walk up there but they still see the cones. They have to walk up and read [the notice], stand there for five minutes, and then walk around and I’m [hoping] nothing falls while they are reading it.”

Police Chief Dan Birbeck suggested placing traffic barricades on the sidewalk, and Mayor Pro Tem Tom Parker said New York City-style construction scaffolding with overhead planks should do the trick.

Mrs. Pagsuberon said queries to contractors and the City’s insurance agent revealed that repairing the building’s facade would cost at least $150,000 and that the City’s insurance policy would not cover it. “They said they could shave off the front but it would be ugly and we would not be happy with the aesthetic,” she said. “It’s an expensive building to maintain. It’s gone so long without any repairs, especially the top [floor] and it’s affecting everything below it.”

“It’s a shame,” Mayor Rogers said. “It’s such a neat building.”

The red brick building, circa 1926, still houses the Young County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, and the Young County Adult Probation Office, as well as the Olney Police dispatch center, and the offices of Chief Birbeck and Sgt. Dustin Hudson. The rest of the police department, including the evidence room, jail, and patrol officers’ desks, are in an attached annex. “That’s why we’re trying to build new [offices],” Chief Birbeck said. “It’s falling apart on top of us.”

The building also features a large ballroom and gym and once housed the Olney Public Library but has since sustained significant water damage from a leaking roof, Mrs. Pagsuberon said.

“It’s actually beautiful,” she said. “If we had the money to fix it it would be a great place to do all kinds of activities.”

Councilmember Harrison Wellman suggested the City come up with a “big master plan that has different options to look at.”

“Ultimately $150,000 is going to sound pretty cheap when you talk about displacing everyone that’s in that building [and] what to do with the building after,” he said.

City Secretary Tammy Hourigan suggested holding a fundraiser.

“That’s a lot of hotdogs,” Mayor Rogers said, to laughter. “If anybody is listening to the meeting and … has an idea, send it to [City Hall].”