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Poplar Bluff Building Standards Board orders demolition for several long-neglected properties, grants reprieve for one owner
Summary
At its June 11 hearing the Poplar Bluff Building Standards Board voted to send multiple deteriorated houses to demolition, tabled several rehabilitation efforts for progress checks, and reversed one demolition to allow the owner 90 days to make repairs. The board emphasized securing vacant structures and speeding repairs to reduce blight.
The Poplar Bluff Building Standards Board on Thursday ordered demolition for multiple properties it said presented prolonged public-safety and maintenance problems, while tabling and monitoring other cases where owners reported active rehabilitation plans.
The board voted unanimously to send 818 Cherry Street, 305 South 8th Street, 1007 Park Avenue, 945 Lester Street and 2017 Kentucky Street to demolition after inspectors described extended neglect, unsecured openings and in some cases fire-related roof damage. For several other addresses — including 426 North Main, 1331 Benton, 714 Sanders, 1102 Gardner, 951 Mulberry, 1207 Grand and 1003 Mary — the board tabled decisions to follow up on owners’ repair commitments or investor renovation timelines.
"It looks fixable," Building Inspector Austin Russom said of 818 Cherry, but staff reported that the property’s exterior, trash and unsecured condition, plus a lack of sustained owner contact after certified notice in April, led the board to move toward demolition. Vice-Chair Corretta Bishop initiated the demolition motions in multiple cases, arguing the city had given owners substantial notice and time to act; most motions were seconded and carried unanimously.
In one notable reversal, the board agreed to rescind a prior demolition order for 523 North 6th Street after owner Billy Gene Graham pleaded for more time to complete repairs. Graham cited family illness and recent security problems at the vacant building and said he had materials and plans to restore the house. "I could reproduce that house to its once upon a time glory," Graham told the board. The board voted to reverse demolition and set a progress review for Sept. 10, a roughly 90-day reprieve during which Graham must secure the structure and advance repairs.
Several owners reported concrete progress that prompted the board to postpone enforcement action. Owner representatives or contractors described new roofing, replacement joists, ordered windows and interior gutting for 426 North Main, 714 Sanders and 1331 Benton. Owner Robert Smith, whose large multi-structure parcel at 1003 Mary has been the subject of long-term compliance work, detailed recent clean-up of debris and plans for phased roofing and site work; the board granted Smith an extended review date of Oct. 9 to allow continued work.
Board members emphasized the city's priorities: secure vacant structures quickly to prevent trespass and vandalism, prioritize repairs that stop water intrusion, and require demonstrable progress for properties the board elects to keep off the demolition list. "Vacant houses tend to be that way," Chair Lonnie Taylor said during discussion of a property with repeated trespass reports; the board repeatedly urged owners who received notices to board windows, keep yards maintained and apply for permits so inspectors can document repairs.
Most enforcement votes were recorded as unanimous among attending board members. Where owners asked for more time, the board generally set a clear date for re-evaluation: July 9 for 426 North Main and 1331 Benton; Sept. 10 for the 523 North 6th reprieve, 714 Sanders, 1102 Gardner, 951 Mulberry and 1207 Grand; Oct. 9 for 1003 Mary.
The board also noted specific operational details captured in the record: 818 Cherry changed ownership in January 2026 and received certified notice in April but did not engage meaningfully; 945 Lester sustained roof openings from prior firefighting that left the structure exposed; and several investor-owned properties (e.g., AMG Investments at 305 South 8th) were reported as not being contactable through LLC records. Where owners reported contractor turnover, the board requested owners secure windows and return with contractor schedules at the next review.
Next steps: the board will post demolition orders and follow the administrative timeline required by city code for properties moved to demolition; for cases the board tabled, staff and inspectors will monitor progress and report updates at the scheduled follow-ups. The public record for the meeting lists follow-up review dates and, where applicable, owner-committed timelines for repair.
