Board gives 300 Wall Street owner 30 days to sign compliance agreement, pauses further penalties

The Abilene Board of Building Standards on July 2 ordered the owner of several buildings at 300 Wall Street to execute a compliance agreement within 30 days that requires a specific corrective plan, permits and progress reports to the city.

Ricky Wright, property maintenance inspector, told the board the multi-building site has extensive exterior and interior dilapidation, broken windows, open roll-up doors and vandalism. Staff said an affidavit of condemnation was recorded January 11, 2024, and that the property logged 136 Abilene Police Department calls. The board's staff recommendation found repair reasonable only if the owner adhered to a detailed timeline; absent that, staff said the city could consider demolition.

Board members discussed civil penalties that had been assessed previously and whether to add more. Wright said, and legal staff confirmed, civil penalties could be assessed beginning March 6, 2025, where prior penalties left off; staff provided an example calculation but recommended not adding penalties at the hearing because city staff had recently reached the owner and wanted to give the owner a chance to move forward. Several board members asked staff to calculate exact accruals if the board later chose to pursue them.

The motion to order the owner to enter a compliance agreement within 30 days and to provide progress reports was made by Mister Dugger and seconded by Mister Wyatt. The board recorded affirmative roll-call votes and passed the motion.

Wright said contractors had at times cleaned graffiti and boarded some entrances, but roof openings and other large entrances remained unsecured. Previous board actions included condemnation notices, administrative search warrants and civil penalties issued in October 2024 and March 2025. Staff noted one real estate adviser had previously offered to pursue rehabilitation and that a recent owner contact began in June 2025.