Oct 9, 2014 3 min read

A dilapidated home on one of Washington’s main streets is now slated for demolition despite pleas from the property owners and their attorney Thursday night asking for more time to fix the building.

The house at 439-445 W. Chestnut St. was authorized as a public nuisance and scheduled demolition following a unanimous vote during Washington City Council’s agenda meeting, clearing the way for it to be razed.

The property owners, Stephen and Diana Bald, during a public hearing earlier said they have partially demolished the rear section of the house and are interested in turning it into a garden shed. The couple, who live in a different home near the parcel, also want to rehabilitate the other section of the house if given the opportunity, according to their attorney, David Montgomery.

“They’re ready and willing to address the needs if the city provides for it and gives them a reasonable amount of time,” Montgomery said. “Give them a list of the most critical items and it can be done on a tight schedule before they can upgrade other problems.”

But council rejected that argument, unanimously voting to declare the property a public nuisance and continuing the city’s aggressive plan to raze dilapidated structures to make way for new development. Council voted last month to place four other properties on the demolition list and two more Thursday night.

“These individuals have owned that property for many years, so it’s a shame that they didn’t take any steps to fix the house’s issues or work with mayor or council on them before now,” Mayor Brenda Davis said.

City solicitor Jack Cambest took a different approach and suggested that the owners can still save their property from demolition if they apply for a building permit and begin significant improvements on the house. However, the clock is now ticking on that time frame since demolition of the building likely would happen in 60 to 90 days.

“We can always take that (demolition order) back off the table,” Cambest said. “We’ll work with them.”

Neither the Balds nor Montgomery attended the voting portion of the meeting when the decision was made, and they could not be reached for comment on the public nuisance declaration of the property. Montgomery previously said the couple wants a report from the city so they know what exactly they have to fix to get the property up to code. Online property records show the couple paid $32,284 for the home in December 2005.

All of the demolitions will vary in cost, though the money will be paid from the Washington County Redevelopment Authority’s Community Development Block Grant.