Over the last two years the condition of “Urbana Townhomes,” 901 to 1009 S. Lierman Ave., have been declining and now pose as a safety hazard to the surrounding community. The Urbana City Council will discuss the demolition of the condemned apartment buildings at Monday’s regular meeting.
“It’s beyond reasonable cost to repair,” said John Schneider, Urbana building safety manager.
Schneider said over the last two years, the owners of the buildings have not maintained the apartment complexes properly.
“It would take a significant investment of funds to bring it back to a point where it was occupyable and even more to be workable in the community,” he said.
According to the ordinance, the bank with current ownership will donate the properties to the city for demolition. Council members will discuss whether to accept the properties and what to do with them.
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Mayor Laurel Prussing said Urbana’s responsibility as a city is safety, which is why the city has pushed to obtain the hazardous property.
“We tried working with owners, it wasn’t right and it became a danger,” she said. “Rather than go through a lengthy court process, the quickest way is to own the buildings and tear them down.”
Prussing said the ordinance skipped committee and will be addressed directly during the committee meeting, in order to speed up the process.
Diane Marlin, Ward 7, said the neighborhood would be vastly improved with the demolition of the apartments that have attracted high crime.
“It’s a Christmas gift to the neighborhood,” she said. “(The building) is in horrible condition. It’s a safety hazard and a nuisance.”
If the council accepts the properties and carries out the demolition, Marlin said she hopes to see lower density housing developed in the open space.
Schneider said once the property is demolished and plans for development are discussed, the city will incorporate neighborhood input to ensure that what is developed would fit in and be more compatible with the surrounding community.
Corinne can be reached at [email protected].
