TURNERS FALLS — Montague town officials approved a request for up to $20,000 to demolish parts of the former Railroad Salvage Building after owners failed to begin demolition last Friday.
The request came after the fire in the early morning hours of Dec. 31 that left the building in ruins, and the parts still standing are not considered stable. The owner owes about $50,000 in back taxes on the building, according to the Montague Tax Collector Eileen Seymour.
During Monday’s meeting, the Selectboard approved the request, which came from town Building Inspector David Jensen and Turners Falls Fire Chief John Zellmann. The demolition is subject to approval Franklin County Superior Court. The town will make the request to the court at 2 p.m. today.
The town will only demolish parts of the building that are considered a public hazard. They will leave parts of the building, including the northern walls, that are more structurally sound. The town is trying to stay within the bounds of what it can do within what is considered an emergency.
“This is no perfect solution by any means,” Jensen said.
Ideally, the town would like to eventually demolish the rest of the building, but considering the building is still privately owned, they cannot go beyond addressing the biggest public safety hazards. The town does plan to try to recoup the costs of the demolition from the owners. The money will come from the town’s unsafe and unhealthy buildings fund.
“In the interest of public safety, it’s an action we need to take at this time,” Town Administrator Steve Ellis said.
The 19th-century former cotton mill was a Rockdale’s Department Store by the late 20th century and then a Railroad Salvage discount store.
The ownership of the building in still in question. Technically, a limited liability corporation, “Solutions Consulting Group” owns the building, but according to multiple officials at the meeting, that LLC is now defunct.
One of the owners of the LLC is Jeanne Golrick, a Millers Falls resident. Selectboard Chairman Rich Kulkewicz said that the town has made every attempt to reach the LLC and its parties, but has been unsuccessful.
The town could begin the demolition to parts of the building as early as Wednesday morning. The building is located between the Connecticut River and the power canal not far from downtown Turners Falls in a section of the village called The Patch.
Legally, the town has to give notice and time for owners to act on their own, before the town steps in. The town gave the owners until last Friday to begin demolition. The owners have not responded.
Reach Miranda Davis at:
mdavis@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261 ext. 280.