Decatur panel gives owner 90 days to repair or demolish deteriorating house at 605 North Arthur

The Decatur Building Standards Commission on Feb. 19 voted unanimously to find the structure at 605 North Arthur Street substandard and ordered the owner to repair, remove or demolish the building within 90 days. The commission’s motion requires demolition to begin no later than Feb. 20, 2025, and all work to be completed by May 20, 2025; the property must remain secured from unauthorized entry while work is underway.

City staff presented exhibits and photographs showing a deteriorated main structure, collapsed interior ceilings and apparent structural damage. The staff recommendation — based on the City of Decatur Code of Ordinances, Article 4 (unsafe, dangerous or hazardous buildings and structures) and the city’s minimum property standards — concluded the building is “unsafe, unsanitary, and a danger to public health” and an “attractive nuisance.” The commission accepted that finding and then considered abatement timelines prescribed by ordinance and state law.

Owner Keith Dawson told…