Demolishing more Buildings

Great News from Wausau!

Wausau will be demolishing their vacant brown building that fronts mostly on South Main Street. This is great news for the community as we further our mission of clearing out blighted and vacant buildings to make room for new improvements. They will begin demo at the end of January and finish in the 3rd quarter of this year. Wausau plans to create green space and to hold the property for future use. We are very appreciative of Wausau’s efforts because this project is being done without Brownfield funding or funding assistance from the City.

Here's the article from MJ. Trying to figure out just how much of the complex is coming down. Bay West portion is blue and gray buildings--which is the northwest corner, but wondering if the northwest portion of the tan complex will remain.

Sorg Paper buildings set for demolition
By Ryan Gauthier, Staff Writer
9:29 PM Wednesday, January 13, 2010
MIDDLETOWN — The vacant tan buildings that once housed the Sorg Paper Company are set to come tumbling to the ground.

Wausau Paper, which acquired Sorg in 1983, has announced plans to tear down the older, unoccupied structures that front Main Street.

Perry Grueber, spokesman for Wausau Paper, said the company plans to have the facility demolished by the middle of the year “if everything does all right.”

“For us this is part of an ongoing process of trying to improve the overall condition of the facility,” Grueber said. “The buildings have been unoccupied for a number of years and we felt it was time to demolish them.”

Wausau Paper will continue to hold the site for potential future use, but Grueber said the company has no redevelopment plans.

The operational part of the facility on the northwestern side of the property will remain untouched, according to Grueber.

Wausau Paper has also agreed to pay for renovation and relocation of the mural from the side of the factory to another building prior to demolition.

“I’ve seen the mural and can understand why they might want to retain it,” he said. “It’s part of our overall value we place on Middletown.”

Mike Robinette, Middletown’s economic development director, said the demolition is “another good indication we’re starting to see movement toward the revitalization of downtown.”

While the removal of the former Sorg plant is not directly connected to the city’s development plans, Robinette said opening a green strip where the paper plant once sat is an important part of getting things moving in the “right direction” for the area.

“It’s just another element of what we hope to be a series of actions and activities you’ll see over the coming months to heighten people’s interest in downtown,” Robinette said. “The fact that Wausau is making an investment in their presence is certainly a positive thing.”

Grueber declined to say how much the demolition would cost the company, but Robinette said it generally runs between $2 and $3 per square foot, depending on the complexity of the structure.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or rgauthier@coxohio.com.

I will have to get some pictures before they start the demo.