CONDEMNED: 17 BUILDINGS ON LIST FOR DEMOLITON OR REHAB

Tom Neumeyer looks forward to the day Akil's BBQ comes crashing down.

The now-empty and dilapidated building at 325 William, just across from Indian Park, is one of three slated for demolition this spring.

Neumeyer, a Cape Girardeau City Councilman, worries the old building is a hazard for children who play in the park.

"It's ludicrous to allow the thing to stand," he said.

Also scheduled to come down is a house at 603 Walnut St., owned by Dennis Singleton and a second house at 836 S. Ellis, the title of which is in the name of the late Mildred McClard of Cape Girardeau.

The city hasn't been able to find heirs for the house on South Ellis.

McClard had originally applied for the house to be renovated through the Locust-Maple neighborhood improvement project, a community development block grant funding improvements to more than 30 homes on Cape Girardeau's South Side.

But the big green house was probably too far gone for the block grant to have helped, said Steven Williams, the city's housing assistance coordinator.

Those three buildings are among 18 properties -- one a now-vacant lot that still needs to be cleaned up -- on the city's condemnation list.

The owners of the properties have two choices: Bring them up to city code or tear them down.

It's not a quick process. First a complaint has to be filed, then an inspection done by city staff.

If the damage or decay to the house is 50 percent or more of its original value or structure, the city can begin condemnation procedures.

The owners of the building are sent what city staff call a "courtesy letter" informing them the building is unfit for human habitation.

Then a title search is carried out, and the owner or owners of the property are sent a "30-day" letter, notifying them that the property either has to be brought up to standard within 30 days or torn down within 14 days.

The property is inspected again once the 30 days are up. If it is in compliance with city codes, or if demolition has been completed, the file on the property is closed.

But if the property is still in disrepair, a hearing is scheduled with the city's building superintendent, attorney Gerald Johnson, to determine the building's fate.

The building superintendent can opt to give the owners so many days to bring the property up to standard or issue a demolition order.

City staff reinspect the property at the end of each deadline. If the property owner shows progress is being made, the building superintendent can issue extensions of the repair deadline.

If nothing has been done with the property at all, the file is forwarded to the city attorney, who begins legal action to have the property condemned.

From the time the complaint is filed until the city attorney takes the case, the procedures can last six months or more.

And once a demolition permit is issued, the contract has 45 days in which to tear down a derelict building after the utilities are shut off and the sewer lines capped.

"It gives the property owners a chance to get their property cleaned up," Williams said. "The only thing we want to do is remove the hazard."

City staff use the city's minimum property standards to try to keep housing stock in good shape.

But it doesn't always work. Sometimes, as in the case of Mrs. McClard's house on South Ellis, no owner can be traced. Sometimes the owners ignore city summonses. And sometimes the owners live out of town and can't be reached.

"We've had houses that people have just left," Williams said. "The last known address would be in Phoenix, Ariz., or somewhere. There's no contact."

Condemnation is the final step in the process, Williams said.

"You have some houses on the list that are so bad, they can't be repaired," he said. "You have some on the list for various reasons that have been repaired, but still need work. There are very few of those."

Nip Kelley Construction was awarded the contract to demolish Akil' BBQ, McClard house on South Ellis and the Walnut Street house in January for $6,760.

Most of the houses on the condemnation list are on the city's South Side.

One property at 301 Third St. was purchased by the city as part of the flood buyout program.

Neumeyer and fellow Councilman Melvin Gateley are heading up a group aimed at cleaning up the South Side.

Part of that initiative will require clearing out derelict structures, Neumeyer said.

"We consider it an essential part of our overall plans to help continue the revitalization of the area," he said. "These houses that are in ill repair cause problems for the immediate area as well as the city as a whole."

The ramshackle properties present problems ranging from "eyesores to people dealing in illicit activities," Neumeyer said.

Williams knows what happens when properties fall into disrepair. As buildings deteriorate, so do the neighborhoods around them.

Not all of the buildings on the condemnation list will be torn down.

The house at 513 S. Middle St., owned by S&S Investments, was removed from the list after the owners met the Nov. 20 deadline to complete rehabilitation.

And in some cases, there aren't buildings left on the properties, but the owners still have to clean up the now-empty lots.

Neumeyer said he wants to the city to get tougher with its condemnation procedures, but he does make one exception: The house at 127 S. Frederick contains a log cabin that dates back to the 1830s.

Neumeyer said it is one of oldest buildings in the city. "It may have seen the Cherokee come through on the Trail of Tears," he said.

Neumeyer is one of several people working to have the house relocated to a spot where it can be properly preserved.

The deadline to have the building repaired or demolished was Aug. 13, 1995.

If the city has to have a derelict house demolished, the cost is assessed against the property in the form of a tax lien or billed to the owners, if they can be reached.