Council urged to remove two Park Place properties from condemnation list as owners begin renovations

City Manager Bob Lee told the council that two properties previously approved for condemnation—1416 and 1418 Park Place—have changed ownership and the new owners have begun renovations, and he recommended removing the addresses from the condemnation list. Lee said the Historic Preservation Board had not approved condemnation and that an appeal hearing would be unnecessary if the council removes the properties from the list.

A community speaker identified in the meeting as Maggie described the work under way and urged the council to support keeping the properties off the condemnation list. "They've done a ton of work," she said, listing a structural engineering report, electrical repairs and efforts to file for tax credits. She told council members the duplex owners were following through on promises and that the project could serve as an example of saving boarded historic homes.

Council members asked follow-up questions about prior council directives, volunteer involvement and the timeline for earlier compliance periods; Maggie said the owners had been granted time in a previous council action (about six months) and were making progress. No formal vote was recorded in this agenda review; the city manager presented the options to the council for a future action.

What happens next: The council can place the removal from the condemnation list on a future consent or non-consent agenda; if the council acts to remove the properties, the related Historic Preservation Board appeal would likely be dismissed as moot.