The historic, Queen Anne-style home at 732 S.W. Walnut St. in Albany was allegedly torched by arsonists in a 2010 spree that destroyed nine vacant homes. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Council Against Arson)Albany residents were left reeling after a series of arsons in 2010 destroyed nine vacant homes, but now contractors and local business owners are turning the eyesores into business opportunities.
One home that burned down on Southeast Geary Street was demolished; the site will soon house a new pizza restaurant. Several other burned-out residences are either being repaired or were torn down and rebuilt.
The city of Albany is seeking to demolish three remaining scorched houses, and contractors are already expressing interest in bidding for those contracts.
“Right now we’ve already had a lot of calls from contractors interested in bidding on those (demolitions),” said Melanie Adams, a building official with the city. “I’ve started a list of people who want to be notified, but we haven’t begun that process yet.”
The city already has permission to demolish two of the structures, one on Southeast Sixth Avenue and one on Southeast Jefferson Court. Both of the homes were already foreclosed when they burned, and the city has received permission to remedy dangerous conditions by either fixing the properties or demolishing them.
City staffers are prepared to move forward, but they are waiting on a judge sign off on a third home – on Northeast 13th Avenue – before seeking bids. Complications with the property owner’s insurance company have caused some delays, and Adams said the city is not willing to wait much longer.
“We can either let the properties linger and be a hazard to our community or we can do something about it,” she said.
If a resolution on the third property doesn’t seem likely by the end of January, Adams said the city will likely move forward with the demolitions of the other two and continue to wait for the other.
Meanwhile, the first arson site is being converted to commercial use. Tom and Linda Kolvedt purchased the lot and are now preparing for the grand opening of their new Little Caesars Pizza branch.
The vacant home at 1240 Geary St. in Albany burned on Oct. 22, 2010. Tom and Linda Koltvedt purchased the lot to hold a new building for their Little Caesars Pizza franchise. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Council Against Arson)“The existing owner was reluctant to spend the money to tear it down, but the property around it was starting to develop, so we went for it,” Tom Kolvedt said. “We’ll be right across from the mall; it’s a prime location.”
The Kolvedts will close their Little Caesars location on the corner of Southeast Hill Street and Queen Avenue and move their staff to the new 1,500-square-foot restaurant.
“The community is happy to see that old house come down and something new going in,” Kolvedt said. “That house was sitting there for a while.”
Local contractors are also eager to see the remaining afflicted properties come down.
Layne Westberg, owner of Northwest Custom Construction, is aiming to finish construction on the new Little Caesars by the end of January and said he is waiting for more job opportunities.
“I don’t know of any plans for the other burned-out homes, but we’d certainly like to be involved if we could,” he said.
After the last few charred residences are demolished, the city will seek reimbursement from the property owners. If they fail to pay, the city will then place liens on the properties.
“The city as a whole has worked on this for a long time,” Adams said. “Ideally we’d like to wrap up all three together because it saves the city money.”
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