The Gatke property in Warsaw will be demolished due to safety issues.
Charlie Smith, Warsaw Redevelopment Commission president and Warsaw city councilman, informed the council Monday night the commission approved the demolition Monday.
The property is west of the Winona Avenue viaduct and will be demolished in 2016.
“The concern continues with the liability and unsightliness of that particular area,” Smith said.
The city will need to come up with the funds to demolish the building.
“We’ve heard ideas of what people want to do with the building, but have not seen dollars,” Smith said.
Smith said the city has spent the past 15 years trying to decide what to do with the property.
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said the city has entertained a lot of ideas.
“With property like that there is a lot of money in rehabilitating it, but we haven’t seen a sustainable plan,” Thallemer said. “We’re not going to just put a car show or farmer’s market in there. It has to be sustainable because those buildings are expensive to rehabilitate and maintain.”
Jeremy Skinner, city planner, said the property has had safety issues such as people entering the building injuring themselves, collapsed flooring, old brick and concrete and broken windows.
“The city has been actively trying to pursue a development opportunity and worked with various people with ideas over the last 15 years,” Skinner said.
Skinner said there will be a bid process for the building to be demolished.
(Story by The Times Union)
