Residents who were evacuated from several buildings in downtown Muscatine weeks ago will need to stay out of their homes and businesses at least until January, as the city says nine historic buildings are unsafe.
Some owners are appealing, saying they haven’t seen documentation to prove it.
Councilman Jeff Osborne says that’s why he voted this week to uphold their appeal, even though he’s concerned by what structural engineers are telling the city. “…(H)aving to do with the whole block being like a stack of dominoes leaning on each other,” Osborne says.
The building owners’ appeal was denied by the rest of the council. Mayor Brad Bark says the goal is to stabilize as many of the buildings as possible, though some may need to be demolished.
Bark says, “The plan currently includes temporary shoring of 201 East Second Street, followed by continued demolition of 201 and likely several other buildings on the block, and the design and installation of permanent bracing to stabilize the rest of the block.”
The estimated timeline for the work is six months. In the meantime, all residents and businesses have found other temporary or permanent homes.
(By Eliza Billingham, Iowa Public Radio)