City looks to remove asbestos from fallen buildings

The City of Washington is looking for a firm to remove the asbestos from the collapsed buildings at 207, 209 and 211 S. Marion Ave. At Wednesday?s city council meeting, City Administrator Rob McDonald told the councilors he had received a quote from one company to remove the asbestos. However, he said the quote was fairly high so he wants to wait until more companies bid on the project. He said he will discuss the issue more at the council?s next meeting July 20.

In April, the council had considered demolishing the buildings at the end of May or the beginning of June. The city was going to do this so that the demolition would coincide with the vacation of a neighboring business owner. Dr. Sergey Floryanovich owns a dental business to the north and was going to be on vacation at that time. McDonald told the city that Floryanovich could bring a claim against the city if the demolition disrupted his business. The council set a bid date of April 29.

At the council?s May 4 meeting, it reviewed the bids and rejected them all.  The two contractors that bid on the project were Cornerstone Excavating Inc. of Washington and Metro Demolition of Des Moines. The city requested bids from them for three different projects: one in which the buildings are torn down and the common wall with Floryanovich?s business is covered in painted plywood; one where the plywood is put on and then covered with painted metal siding; and one where the existing plywood is removed and replaced with fiber-cement board.

Cornerstone Excavating?s bids ranged from $132,000 to $142,000 while Metro Demolition's ranged from $140,000 to $150,000. Mayor Sandra Johnson said during the May 4 meeting that she was surprised the bids were so high and that she expected the demolition to cost under $100,000.

The council?s rejection of the bids prevented the project from being completed during Floryanovich?s vacation. In an effort to reduce the cost of demolition, former City Administrator Dave Plyman recommended that the councilors remove the requirement that the demolition company remove the asbestos in the buildings. The council decided to make the asbestos removal a separate project. Plyman also said at the time that the city does not compensate businesses that suffer losses because of its construction or demolition projects. He pointed to the construction of the new library, and how its neighbors were not compensated for losses, as an instance of that policy.

Last year, the city attempted to save the buildings for historical purposes. It offered developers $50,000 to remodel the buildings. It also offered to demolish the buildings free of charge if the developer preferred that. No one took the city up on its offer.

The city purchased the buildings from Alfonso and Julia Raymundo in the fall of 2009. In 2006, the Raymundos hired a company called Apex Construction to remodel their store and expand it from 207 S. Marion to 209 as well, removing the wall in between the two buildings. That October, the second floor of the building collapsed during construction. No one was injured in the collapse, although the Raymundos were forced to relocate their business to Second Street.