It's coming down: City Council votes to demolish former Arts Council building
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on April 16, 2013 1:46 PM
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News-Argus file photo
The Goldsboro City Council voted Monday to tear down the former Arts Council of Wayne County building.
The Goldsboro City Council voted Monday night to award a contract to demolish the former Arts Council building to A K Grading and Demolition in the amount of $197,000.
The contract covers the demolition of the old Arts Council building along with asbestos abatement and filling in the water fountain next to the building for $193,500 and the option to demolish the silo structure on the property for an additional $3,500.
There were seven bids for the job and A K came in with the lowest bid.
City Council members discussed the possibility of leaving the silo standing because of its architectural interest but agreed that the property would be more marketable as a flat space.
Councilman Gene Aycock was concerned that the public did not understand why the council was tearing down the building.
"We need to make the public aware of why we're tearing it down," said Aycock. "They would be amazed at the condition of the building, all they see is the outside."
The City Council decided there was no way to save the building at a reasonable price and that they should take the investment hit and get rid of the property.
"What we paid for that building, and to demolish it, we'll never get (that money) back," said Councilman William Goodman.
The City Council also decided to move forward with extending the option to purchase two adjacent properties to the former Arts Council building for about $6,000.
"If we can get it for that amount then why wouldn't we, it's like insurance," said Councilman Bill Broadaway.
Aycock said that no one would want to have the building because it is a liability to own with all of the problems it has.
"With the building on it, I believe we would have it forever," said Aycock.
The City Council also agreed to award a contract to Barnhill Contracting Company for the amount of $404,155.81 to resurface concrete areas throughout the city covering approximately 37,000 square yards of space and to mill out approximately 5,100 square yards of asphalt pavement.
The City Council approved the condemning of a 13th parcel of land at the corner of Royall Avenue and Berkeley Boulevard under the authority of eminent domain for the Berkeley Boulevard Widening Project to add another lane of travel to Berkeley Boulevard between Royall Avenue and South Drive.
The owner of the parcel of land has agreed verbally to sell his land to the city in the amount of $20,700 but had yet to sign a document to that affect, according to Tasha Logan, assistant city manager.
The City Council also voted to designate two portions of Goldsboro as Urban Progress Zones which offers tax credits for certain types of business in low-income areas of municipalities.
Any area where more than 20 percent of the people live below the poverty line can be named a UPZ as long as the areas do not cover more than 15 percent of a municipality.
The areas named as UPZs are the Industrial Park and portions of downtown adding up to a total of 11 percent of Goldsboro.
The industries eligible for tax credits under a UPZ are, manufacturing, data processing, warehousing/distribution and central office operations.
City Council members accepted a bid from T. A. Loving Company to replace two centrifugal blowers at the City's Water Reclamation Facility for $502,000 saving $30,000 over doing the two blowers separately.
The City planned to only purchase one blower but another blower had a catastrophic failure two days before bidding for the original blower to be replaced opened.
The price includes the purchase and installation of both blowers.