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Officials say Maria Regina building appears unsafe after fire; demolition, condemnation possible
Summary
City code and public-safety officials told the Syracuse Common Council that the Maria Regina building suffered heavy structural collapse in a recent fire and is likely unsafe for human entry, prompting consideration of emergency condemnation or demolition.
City code enforcement and public-safety officials told the Syracuse Common Council that the Maria Regina property suffered catastrophic damage in a recent fire and that portions of the building are unsafe, raising the prospect of condemnation or emergency demolition.
Jake Dishaw, deputy commissioner of code enforcement and zoning administration, said inspectors have been unable to safely enter the structure and have used drones for remote assessment. “The entire roof structure is gone,” Dishaw said. “Fourth floor is pretty much destroyed, and that's even caved in with kind of unknown amount of damage into the third floor and below.” He added that “millions of gallons of water poured on it for 24 hours straight almost,” and that officials currently believe the building may be beyond repair.
Councilors and staff said securing the site has been difficult because multiple breaches in fencing and boarding recur after repairs. Dishaw said the city has worked with Home Leasing and the property contractor Huber Brewer to board openings, but breaches reappear quickly on the large site.
Michael Collins, commissioner for neighborhood business development, praised the fire department’s response and said city staff have been working with a potential developer and the State Historic Preservation Office to move the property out of the current owner’s control. “There's a ton of ongoing efforts right now,” Collins said, and he reported a meeting with state preservation staff.
Councilors and staff discussed financial liability and enforcement. Dishaw estimated some owner-related bills have been offset by taxes and others remain unpaid; he provided an estimate that outstanding city bills related to securing the property are “somewhere around ... $38 to $40” thousand. Councilors urged the city to pursue cost recovery from the property owner and to act quickly to secure and, if necessary, remove the hazard.
No formal determination of condemnation or demolition was recorded in the transcript; officials said evaluations are ongoing and that public-safety considerations and firefighter safety are central to any next steps.
Speakers and agency representatives quoted in this article are named in the meeting record.
