Clinton, Mo., still hurting from lodge collapse

CLINTON, Mo. -- Almost a month after the fatal collapse of an Elks Lodge, downtown Clinton is still suffering from the tragedy as more buildings will have to be destroyed.

Investigators were still trying to determine why the Elks' building collapsed on June 26, killing group leader Tony Komer.

The city has ruled that the building on either side of the Elks site must come down as well as possibly a fourth building next to them.

"There's just one wall between those buildings," city spokeswoman Christy Maggi said. "Obviously, when there's some damage to one building, it certainly impacts neighboring buildings because of those connections."

The lodge's destruction already forced a clothing store and alterations shop to find new homes and the additional demolition plans have chased off two law firms and Kreisler Drug Store.

Between the loss of the drug store and the cleanup efforts blocking off sidewalks and parking, downtown merchants said they've seen a decline in foot traffic downtown.

"When you lose your drug store, the main drug store on the square, that takes away business," said Thomas Graham, whose Time Jewelry sits two buildings down from the pharmacy.

There are few empty storefronts on the square, so most of the refugee businesses will likely have to move away from downtown.

Attorney Jim Switzer feels the loss acutely as his law offices, which sat in one of the buildings next to the lodge, saw a lot of walk-in business sitting across from the downtown courthouse.

Another attorney, Jim Journey, is working out of his house.

"My secretary is in my living room," he said.

The Elks themselves have moved to a property in east Clinton, at least temporarily. Steve Cummings, the group's house committee spokesman, said the Elks will decide in about a month what to do with the downtown property.

"Hopefully, we'll build back," Cummings said. "It's really up to the members to decide. But we want to get something going. If we want to build, we don't want to wait a year."