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Board grants 45‑day extension in contested demolition case for 1605 Franklin St.
Summary
After a lengthy hearing, the Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety granted the owner a 45‑day extension to stabilize and permit work on 1605 Franklin St., while staff warned the structure is deteriorating and requires temporary bracing; the decision was split and the board set a follow‑up status hearing.
The Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety voted to grant a 45‑day extension on the demolition order for 1605 Franklin Street following a contested status hearing on Jan. 5, 2026. Staff recommended a shorter window than the owner requested, citing the structure’s continued deterioration and an August 2025 structural assessment that called for temporary bracing before interior demolition.
Wendy Vache, the city’s public works director, told the board the board had earlier affirmed a demolition order on Aug. 18, 2025, then stayed it while the owner was given 100 days to show compliance. Vache said the 100‑day window had lapsed and that, while the city could issue an interior demolition permit to remove soft debris, there was no permit or evidence of the temporary exterior bracing the Wright & Associates assessment…
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