Bluefield eyes additional demolition phases
The Bluefield Board of Directors voted earlier this week to proceed with phase seven of the city's demolition program, which involves the removal of four structures. But city officials also are mapping out two additional demolition phases for the future involving 55 additional structures.
The phase seven project involves the demolition of four buildings at a total cost of $158,000, according to City Code Enforcement Director Mika Bargo.
The city board voted unanimously Tuesday to issue a notice to proceed on the phase seven demolitions to Empire Salvage.
City Manager Cecil Marson said phase seven of the demolition program will involve properties on Pulaski Street, View Avenue, Commerce Street and Giles Street.
'All we are doing now is giving them the notice to proceed and start,' Marson said.
The demolition program has been funded through the Department of Environmental Protection's REAP program.
Bargo said the city to date has completed 154 demolitions through the use of $2.1 million in DEP funds.
'Currently we are working on phase seven, which is four problem structures in the city at a total of $158,000,' Bargo said. 'This will be the last of the current REAP money. We do however have two more phases we are looking at.'
Bargo said the proposed phase eight would involve the removal of 10 additional structures at an estimated cost of $128,500.
'We also have a phase nine that we are looking at which would probably be an estimation of around a million dollars,' she said. 'It's 45 structures, several of those large commercial structures that we would like to get down and something like that would open up some space in the city for businesses.'
Bargo said the city's code enforcement office is still looking at additional properties and mapping out the future phases.
The city also would need to secure additional state funding for the future demolition phases.
Similar demolitions have been ongoing on the county level through the DEP REAP program.
Earlier this month, a two-story building in Matoaka was torn down through the use of remaining DEP funds.
Since 2023, the county has spent a $1.5 million grant clearing up blight. Another $750,000 grant was awarded to the county in January 2024 through the DEP for demolitions. Of that grant, approximately $87,000 was still remaining earlier this month. Lori Mills, the county's Dilapidated Structures Officer, said in an earlier interview that the county does intend to apply for additional DEP funds for future demolitions.
'Money-wise, this is the last one for now,' Mills said. 'But should we get additional funding, yes, there are several more that could come down.'
More than 300 dilapidated structures have been removed on the county level to date.
Contact Charles Owens at
cowens@bdtonline.com
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