The Fairfield City Council is moving forward with plans to demolish the downtown public restroom building that has been closed for over a decade and has become an “eyesore” to many.
City Administrator Doug Reinert presented the recommendation following a meeting with downtown partners including the Beautification Commission, Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Parks and Recreation, and Main Street.
Building Condition and Challenges
The building has been closed for more than 10 years and contains asbestos in the shingles and tar paper. Reinert said DNR permits are required whether the city chooses to remodel or demolish the structure.
“The biggest thing that we really decided on was the fact that we encourage people to maintain their properties. We have abandoned buildings and the city expects everyone else to fix them and we have the very same thing,” Reinert said during the meeting.
After discussions with the Parks Department, which maintains the building, the consensus was clear.
“The building in their mind and many other people’s minds is it is time for urban renewal and they would like to see that building removed and then the reimagining of that space and what it looks like and what could be there,” Reinert said.
Cost Analysis
Reinert explained that the cost of remodeling versus demolishing would be similar.
“Essentially, the cost could exceed of just adding on to it or remodeling it, the holes being punched in the walls, those sorts of things versus just starting over and putting something else there could be about a wash,” he said.
The estimated demolition cost is $7,000 to $10,000, compared to $15,000 to $18,000 for typical house demolitions. The lower estimate accounts for work that city crews can do in-house to save money, though asbestos abatement will need to be contracted out.
The city has demolition funds available, with approximately $40,000 in the fund, although that was not confirmed.
Next Steps
The recommendation is to proceed with demolishing the building and cleaning up the site, then reimagine what to do with the space at a later date, including input from the same downtown partner organizations.
“You are the ultimate decision makers when it comes to that building,” Reinert told the council.
The group plans to explore various options for a replacement public restroom facility.
Reinert said the item will come before the council at their next meeting for formal action. The city will need to have the building retested for asbestos and file for DNR permits regardless of the final decision.
Picture from Google Maps.
