The current owner was forced by the city to demolish the building after the roof collapsed. Over the years, the old building was home to an ice cream shop, maybe a cafe, and a television repair shop. It was last used as a maintenance shop for neighboring apartments.
Owners Bill and Carol Waldrop said the building should have been torn down years ago, but like most other people, they fell on hard times.
On July 23, with the help of their good friend, Dennis Nipper, and an old Chevrolet pickup truck, they brought the old building down.
The once-popular ice cream shop was one of four properties city codes enforcement has cited for repairs or demolition.
The Housing Board of Adjustments and Appeals met July 13, to hear a case concerning 933 Harle Ave.
The board and chief building official Mary Baier concurred with the findings of code enforcement officers that the structure was unfit for human occupancy, but it could be repaired at a cost less than 50 percent of its value.
The board gave the owners 60 days to repair the house and set another hearing at noon on Sept. 28.
A third house at 410 14th Street N.W. is a burned out house that is the subject of an ongoing code enforcement case. Community Development Director Greg Thomas reminded Joe V. Williams in a letter dated July 19 that he previously agreed to repair the structure to code in order to clear the violation.
Completion of the work will require compliance with the city’s historic preservation zoning ordinance.
The Historic Preservation Commission meets at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, when it will review an application for certificate of appropriateness. Any improvements on the facade of the building need to comply with Historic Preservation Design guidelines. Work on any portion of the facade visible from any street cannot begin until the historic preservation commission has issued a certificate of appropriateness.
Thomas advised Williams to hire a licensed contractor and a obtain building permit to begin repair work within 30 days and complete it promptly. Further delay could result in other enforcement measures, including demolition and recovery of costs.
