Ironwood demolition projects to be completed by October

IRONWOOD — The 10 structures approved for demolition Monday by the Ironwood City Commission will be torn down within 60 days.

Commissioners approved nearly $150,000 in demolition projects, to be covered by a $675,000 state grant received by the city.

Snow Country Contracting will handle nine of the projects and Associated Constructors will complete one.

Ironwood Community Development Director Michael Brown said if the contractors don’t get the projects done within the designated 60 days, they will face fines.

The projects will begin with asbestos removal, followed by the demolitions.

Brown said the city will need to contribute $3,500 because bids on two of the projects came in higher than projected. He said there’s money in the city’s blight fund to cover the $3,500. however.

There will be more projects in the future, from eight to nine, but that bids for that work won’t be sought until next spring.

When the parcels are cleaned up, adjacent landowners will get the first shots at purchasing them.

Demolition projects were approved Monday as follows.

—412 W. Larch St., for $9,482.

—218 W. Tamarack St., for $12,684.

—228 E. Pine St., for $8,285.

—414 Norrie St., for $9,931.

—314 Albany St., for $19,200.

—1010 Douglas Boulevard, for $17,328.

—120 S. Mansfield St., for $21,585.

—1105 Washington St., for $6,196.

—206 Southwest St., for $19,823.

—56 Brogan St., for $11,450.

After the meeting, Brown was asked why the cost was so high for 206 Southwest St., the former Scoop’s tavern that was being remodeled when it was destroyed by a fire that killed four pets. He said since the building burned, the entire structure must be treated as if it contains asbestos and that increased the cost there.