By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The co-owner of the demolition crew working to tear down the Ambassador hotel will continue work despite a step by the city to start nuisance proceeding.
Carl Britz, co-owner, American Wrecking Services, Kansas City, Mo., said his company has been working every day for the last three weeks to finish the hotel’s demolition.
The demolition process was delayed earlier this year when asbestos was found. Click here for more on that story.
The permit issued to the company demolishing the hotel,3603 Vine St., expired on May 29. However, the company is legally allowed to continue work while the nuisance abatement proceeds.
The nuisance process takes about 30 days. City Manager Toby Dougherty said the “clock is ticking” on the process. If the property owner, who lives in Texas, has not cleared the site by that time, the city will be able to hire its own demolition firm to finish the project.
The city cited health and safety reasons for starting the nuisance abatement proceeding against the owner of the property.
Britz said he is confident his company will be able to finish the demolition and is working with the city to meet its needs.
“We will work on the demolition until the problem is solved,” he said.
However, he said he had no projection of when the project would be finished.
Mayor Shaun Musil expressed concerns about the demolition area, saying he had heard youth had been visiting the area.
Members of the commission expressed concerns about liability surrounding the property. However, city staff said the property owner would be responsible if anyone was injured.
Britz said his crew has had difficulty with people running over and knocking down gates and fences.
“People think it is a game. I wish they would not do that anymore,” he said.
Dougherty said the city is already working with demolition companies to gather bids on finishing the work at the site.
If the city has to assume the responsibility for finishing the demolition at the site, any cost would be added to the tax rolls and will be the responsibility of the property owner.