Making a Safer Oakhurst – the Demolition of 102 Fifth Avenue
The building at 102 Fifth Ave. has been in an unsafe condition for a long while. For this reason, the City will be demolishing the building starting on June 1, 2015.
This building has had several uses over the years. Most may know it as the recent home of the Tabernacle of God Missionary Holiness Church. The Church no longer uses the building and no longer has the financial resources to provide proper maintenance. The City became involved last year when it was determined that the structure was abandoned and generally unsafe. The process used to handle situations such as this is known as nuisance abatement. This process has lead to the City’s plan to demolish the building.
About the Demolition
The City has been preparing for this demolition since July 2014.
- In Fall 2014, a hazardous material survey was conducted for the City by Life Environmental Services, Inc. The results indicated that there was lead in the building.
- Last month, a qualified contractor, Leon Benton Construction, Inc., was selected for the demolition.
- Earlier this month, the City prepared a building permit for the demolition (#15-312/5-20-15).
- On May 20, 2015 a team from Abatement Contractors Unlimited, LLC removed as much of the lead as possible given safe access to the building.
- To reduce the impact of rodents, Bizzy Bee Exterminators, Inc. was hired by the City in advance of the demolition.
What to Expect
The demolition will take place on June 1, 2015 starting at 7 a.m. Work is expected to take one to two days. During the demolition itself, city staff will work to ensure that all conditions of the building permit meet standard practice. While disturbance to the site and surrounding areas will be minimized, sidewalks around the site will be closed starting Friday, May 29, 2015. To the extent possible, erosion control fences will be set in place. No trees will be impacted.
Going Forward
When the demolition is complete, the entire corner site will be graded and seeded. For now, the church will maintain ownership of the corner parcel. A lien will be placed on the property in the amount of the demolition and associated costs. The City will remain the owner of the adjacent undeveloped property that makes up the other half of the site. The City will continue to ensure that both properties are properly maintained.
At this time there are no plans for construction of any kind on this property. Any future construction will have to comply with the Unified Development Ordinance under the R-60 zoning district.
Questions or Concerns
Residents may call or write John Maximuk, Director, Design, Environment & Construction Division, Public Works at John.Maximuk@decaturga.com or 678.553.6570 with questions or comments.
