City to issue order to raze or repair Case Feed building
Photo
Fire Marshall Larry Hainstock, left, and Gale Price, manager of building development services, survey the Case Feed building, which they cordoned off Monday.
Photo
A side of the Case Feed building shows brick damage, which is exposing the structure to accelerated deterioration.
JANESVILLE — City officials plan to fence off sidewalks around the former Case Feed building and will issue a raze-or-repair order to the owner.
Council President Bill Truman, who drives almost daily past the building, alerted officials Sunday that several bricks had fallen off the exterior, according to a police report.
"Truman believed this was cause for concern and someone should be alerted," the report reads.
Police and a city inspector viewed the site Sunday and barricaded the property, which is at the corner of Center Avenue and Rockport Road.
The owner is North American Companies of Madison.
"We're trying to reach the owner to discuss what his options are," said Gale Price, manager of building and development services. "We're going to issue a formal notice as soon as we can get the paperwork put together and get it to him."
That notice would be a raze-or-repair order, giving the owner 30 days to address the problems, he said. If the owner wants to preserve the building, he would have to present a plan with financial documents ensuring it would happen, he said.
If the building continues to deteriorate and is in imminent danger of collapsing, the city will take the building down, even if the 30 days haven't expired, he said.
"We won't wait, we'll have no choice," he said.
The city May 15 ordered the owner to secure the structure by boarding it up, replacing broken windows and repairing brick. On June 25, the city issued an order forbidding human occupancy of the eastern building.
The building's deterioration appears to be accelerating, Price said.
"Unfortunately, I think we have to make a decision here in the interest of public safety," he said. "Either the owner gets this thing fixed, or the building's going to have to be removed."
The southwest corner of the property is bowing out, Price said, and officials suspect recent rain and freezing are accelerating the deterioration of the western wall along Center Avenue.
"If that west wall were to fail, we're going to have a mess not only on the sidewalk but on the street," he said.
Oct 31, 2009 at 1:07 a.m.
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For those who think it would make a nice art gallery or a nice restaurant or whatever, there are good options for you. You can buy it and do these things to it. Isn't living in America grand, to have these freedoms?
If no one wants to spend their money on it, then tear it down, it is an abandoned buiding that is falling down.
janesvillecomments
"..the slightly blighted neighborhood could use the business. This would surely spur economic development to connect the trendy 5-Points area and the thriving Southside retail corridor."
Hehe. I caught your humor there, janesvillecomments, a little bit subtle, but tinged with ample sarcasm.
Oct 29, 2009 at 9:46 p.m.
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try this link: http://tinyurl.com/ygfksvl
this is really sad.. great old photo of this place. but $250,000? maybe free if you fix it up and currently owner will pay all back taxes and fees
Oct 29, 2009 at 3:34 p.m.
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breasonable, be reasonable. You cannot have Paint and Skate on Thursday night... That is when the demonstrations are at the skateboard park! You have to pick another night.
Oct 29, 2009 at 3:10 p.m.
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I think this building would be a great art gallery or art center for Janesville. Just as a 5 million dollar ice arena would serve the people of the city so would an art center serve just as many or more. Best thing, it wouldn't cost 5 million and just as many taxpayers would be happy.
Why make one group happy and not the other?
OR
I just got a great idea for the new 5 million dollar ice arena!
Janesville Ice Arena and Art Gallery!
Why not combine both!
Paint and Skate every Thursday night!
Make everyone happy!
Oct 29, 2009 at 2:17 p.m.
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Janesvillean - from the photo, it looks like the the drive-up window for takeout is almost complete. ☺
Oct 29, 2009 at 12:33 p.m.
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ShotgunWillie, you're coming dangerously close to libel with your wild accusations. Truman has no connection with the owners and can't stand Briarmoon.
Oct 29, 2009 at 11:37 a.m.
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Truman has a special interest investment to put there so he is starting early negations. He seen Eric Levitt was able to do this the the Ice Rink so should he.
Oct 29, 2009 at 10:59 a.m.
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I had always envisioned a pet shop with living quarters upstairs. Or maybe even a specialty candy store with a old fashioned ice cream soda fountain counter.
Oct 29, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.
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I really hoped this could be redeveloped. It's one of the oldest retail structures in Janesville and the best preserved of this early Rockport/Center business district. I thought it would make a great site for a Speakeasy-style restaurant conversion ... use the loading dock as a ready-made patio ... and a great entrance to the Fourth Ward. But it looks like it's too late.
Oct 29, 2009 at 8:55 a.m.
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Take it down before KAB comes up with some story of spirits of past living there and offering inspiration to everyone who inhabits the joint.......
Oct 29, 2009 at 3:51 a.m.
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if you remember correctly.. janesville city wants to widen rockport road there to wilson school.
Oct 29, 2009 at 2:15 a.m.
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I know a few people who are a few bricks short of a load. Can we raze them next?
Oct 29, 2009 at 1:39 a.m.
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janesvillecomments. Thats a funny one. So everyone can park in your yard down there. just think of the extra money you could make to help with your tax
Oct 29, 2009 at 12:58 a.m.
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You know, if they were to scrape the property flat and noodge just a wee bit of the next-door neighbor's driveway, I think the city could squeeze a 2-sheet ice arena on that lot.
It's centrally located in the city to draw maximum traffic and the slightly blighted neighborhood could use the business. This would surely spur economic development to connect the trendy 5-Points area and the thriving Southside retail corridor.
Oct 28, 2009 at 9:34 p.m.
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Another waste of taxpayer money. I fear for my life every time I drive by it. Dear Lord if I were to step foot in it, that'd be the time the structure gave way!!
Oct 28, 2009 at 7:38 p.m.
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Take it down
Oct 28, 2009 at 5:56 p.m.
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How long before Briarmoon starts whinning that this is only happening because she is the realtor and the city is against her.
Oct 28, 2009 at 4:58 p.m.
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what's troubling is this company ,or anybody for that matter, bought the building and sat on their hands . Any possibility of saving this is lost. The city should have taken a tough stance from the start.
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