Plan is to repair the building and sell it
The city of Jefferson now owns the commercial property at 205 N. Wilson, immediately north of Angie’s Tea Garden. The family of Bud Nelson, owner of the building, recently gave the city the building, along with $5,000 for needed repairs.
Jefferson city administrator Mike Palmer said it is the goal of the city to complete needed repairs within that $5,000 budget, and then market the building.
CNS Roofing and Construction of Denison evaluated the building and determined that the foundation is solid, although brick is crumbling on the northeast corner of the building. The brick is more cosmetic than functional, as is the deteriorating stucco on the east side of the building, Palmer said. Some roof work is needed, and depending on the budget, the siding will be removed on the west side of the building and the windows will be replaced.
No structural work will be done on the interior, but the building will be totally emptied out (an assortment of random furnishings was in the building during the Empty Buildings Tour last month) and the carpet will be removed. Fans will run in the basement to clear out a lingering odor from a previous sewer problem that has since been remedied.
“I think people will be really be surprised when we get the building cleaned out and aired out, and then we’ll see what business might be interested in it,” Palmer said.
The city will involve Jefferson Matters: Main Street in the project. The Main Street program focuses on preservation of historic downtown buildings, and as a Main Street community, Jefferson has access to design assistance on such projects, Jefferson Matters program director Peg Raney said.
Jefferson Matters’ design committee, which includes Deb Kucerak, Jean Walker, Pete Russell and Palmer, will lead the Main Street effort. “We’ve got room for more people on that committee, so if there are people who are interested in learning more about design and historic preservation, they’re certainly welcome,” Raney said.
Palmer said that by accepting ownership of the building, the city gained control of its future and avoided any future code enforcement problems. There is no time line for the project.
