Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Jan. 21, 2025 – Claps filled the Municipal Center as the Jonesboro City Council unanimously approved a resolution allowing for the demolition of the old Citizens Bank building.
The resolution first went before the Public Safety Council Committee, where it unanimously passed. It was walked onto the full City Council’s agenda.
The resolution allows the City to hire Nabholz Construction to manage the removal of the building. In addition, it authorizes using up to $3.25 million of funding from the City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) revenue replacement restricted fund.
While the project is estimated to cost $3.25 million, that amount could change depending on the demolition method used or if unknown factors arise during the project. The City will be taking any measures allowed by the courts to recoup costs from the property owner/owners.
This comes after the City issued a seven-day emergency condemnation notice in October, the Public Safety Council Committee approved forwarding the pre-condemnation order in November, and the City Council unanimously voted in December to formally condemn the building.
After the City Council’s approval of the Dec. 17 resolution to formally condemn the building, the City had to wait 30 days in case the property owners wanted to appeal the condemnation. Neither owner appealed.
“All actions adhered to the notices and waiting periods required by the city and state codes and this process moved as quickly as permitted by law,” Mayor Harold Copenhaver said. “We cannot partially condemn the structure; our actions are absolute. Either remove the building or do not, those are our options.”
With the resolution’s approval, Copenhaver said the City’s engineering and communications departments would work with Nabholz Construction to provide weekly updates to the public regarding demolition progress, traffic route changes and more.
The method of demolition has not yet been determined. Nabholz Construction is considering two methods: wet demolition or abatement followed by demolition. The building cannot be imploded due to its location and its multiple construction methods.
Demolition must first be approved by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), regardless of the method chosen.
Abatement followed by demolition involves removing and disposing of any asbestos-containing material (ACM), which is defined as any material containing more than one percent asbestos. The building is demolished after its removal.
This method takes longer and is more expensive, adding an extra three and a half months and $650,000 to the project, according to Adam Seiter, executive vice president of operations at Nabholz Construction.
The other method, wet demolition, involves spraying the part of the building currently being demolished with water, as this prevents any ACM dust from becoming airborne. A pump with a specialized filter is installed in the building’s basement and cleans ACM water runoff from demolition debris.
The filtered water is tested for ACM before being drained into storm drains. Debris is then loaded into large plastic bags, covered and hauled to landfill for safe disposal. This method is estimated to take 10 to 12 weeks and projected to cost $3.25 million. This is the method named and planned for in the resolution.
It is currently unclear which method ADEQ will select.
“It’s in their court,” Seiter said. “They’ve got the information sent to them right now, the City’s driving that process. They’re trying to waive a few things, but it could still be two weeks from today before we know exactly what rules can we play by.”
During the demolition, parts of Main Street, Washington Avenue and Union Street will be closed. Current plans for closures have not yet been announced, but updates will be posted weekly to a frequently asked questions page about the situation on the City’s website.
Downtown business owners, residents and patrons can expect increased construction traffic, with the City estimating 20 truckloads per day to load and deliver debris to landfills. During transportation, debris will be held in a plastic liner and covered. Work is expected to be conducted six to seven days a week, weather permitting.
Citizens should also expect some noise, dust and debris associated with construction sites. Air quality in downtown Jonesboro will be monitored by a contractor Nabholz Construction subcontracts out to carry out the demolition, which has not yet been determined.
“We all work downtown as well,” City Attorney Carol Duncan told Matt Silas, owner of Matt Silas Architect, which is located in downtown Jonesboro. “We want it to be as safe as you guys want it to be as far as that asbestos abatement.”
Nabholz Construction is representing the City in the demolition plan to negotiate the price and scope of jobs. It will not be the one doing the actual demolition. Currently, D.H. Griffin Companies has been subcontracted to perform the demolition scope, which involves listing the tasks and equipment needed to properly demolish a property.
Even though the City Council voted to use ARPA funds to demolish the building, it is not City-owned. The issue of property ownership is being decided in a private civil matter in the Craighead County Circuit Court. The City Council’s decision to condemn and demolish the property does not affect ownership determined by the court.
Bruce Burrow, with One Main Square LLC, owns the 70-year-old building located at 100 W. Washington Ave., while Andy Smith with Laurel Park LLC owns the land the building sits on.
In a lawsuit beginning in January, Smith accused Burrow of breaching a lease agreement and failing to pay rent and taxes on the building. The matter is expected to go to trial the week of March 10. Pre-trial is set for Jan. 31.
The legal matters surrounding the property have no effect on the City’s condemnation and demolition process.
Parts of Main Street have been shut down since Sept. 25 when a bulge was noticed on the side of the seven-story building. Since then, there have been alternate traffic patterns downtown and a protection wall installed in front of First Horizon Bank.