Mayor says condemned landmark likely to be torn down

The building at 116 E Main St. is pictured on Tuesday morning.

By Emmanuel Flemister

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandergrift says the condemned building that was once an African American landmark at 116 E. Main Street will probably be torn down.

Vandegrift spoke after Monday night’s City Council meeting, at which he said planning and zoning officials have given the building owner 20 days from Feb. 28 to appeal the condemnation order and 30 days to fix up the building or face demolition.

The council also went over the city’s audit report, discussed a plan to beautify the land in Midway Station along Interstate 64 and agreed to seek bids from contractors to finish the pavilion in the cemetery.

116 E. Main: Building Inspector Joshua Stevens wrote building owner Ness Alamdari Feb, 10, citing 10 issues that needed fixing and giving him 30 days to correct them and "obtain a letter from a licensed Kentucky engineer certifying that the structure of the building is not in danger of collapse and does not pose a threat to public safety. If an engineer letter is not obtained and a building permit not obtained for the above listed corrections, an order of demolition will be needed."

When Alamdari returned a call from the Messenger Feb.19, he said he had just picked up the notice that he had a certified letter. Vandegrift told the council Monday night that Alamdari didn’t sign for the letter until Feb. 28, so Woodford County planning and zoning officials decided to make the time periods for the appeal and completion of the work run from that date.

Vandegrift told council members that they may have to vote on condemnation, and that it’s possible that the city can do the demolition and place a lien against the property to recover its costs.

After the council meeting, Vandergrift said he spoke to Alamdari soon after he bought the building four years ago about getting it renovated, saying he was “excited to see the property get fixed” and that “as a government we were very patient with him for a long time.”

But little work was done, and the mayor said he told Alamdari recently the building was an “eyesore” and that they were “tired of waiting.” He said they have received several “empty promises” from Alamdari and that the building “doesn’t seem to be salvageable anymore.”

Alamdari told the Midway Messenger on Feb. 19 that Vandergrift wants to tear down the building to make it a parking lot for festivals. Vandegrift denied that.

Alamdari said Vandergrift “doesn’t know what the language of diplomacy is. He’s been trying to bully me and I’m not a person that will take bullying so easily. He’s the biggest liar I’ve ever seen. . . . I feel like he is another Trump.”

Vandergrift appeared shocked at that, and said that “My wife would crack up hearing him call me another Trump.” Vandergrift said he was never against the property getting fixed and feels Alamdari is “projecting” and The people’s will is what matters here.”

Vandergrift said, “I think I took the diplomatic route and probably was erring on the side of patience, just trying to make sure we were working with him.” He said he would take no pleasure in demolition of a historic stricture, but “I have been inside the building, and like so many others have watched as time and weather continue to deteriorate it . . . I came to believe that condemnation is the only solution.”

He added, “I have been approached by many people interested in buying and fixing it up. I know they mean well, but I think they missed the boat here; this needed to be done 10 years ago.”

The building was erected in 1898 by the Pilgrim Lodge of the Odd Fellows, an African American men's organization. It has had many owners, landing in Alamdari’s hands in 2016. Local historian Bill Penn, a nearby store owner, said the  building was last occupied 15 to 20 years ago.

Audit report: The council accepted the city audit for the fiscal year that ended last June 30 and heard CPA Sammy Lee of Berea say, “We’re issuing an unqualified, clean opinion. . . . That’s the best opinion that an auditor can issue.” He added later, “The city is really solid.”

However, the audit noted the same “material weaknesses” noted by past auditors: a lack of an internal-control system to prevent, detect and correct financial misstatements, and a failure to segregate duties of the two City Hall employees. Lee said that in such a small city, “It doesn’t make economic sense” to hire more employees for internal controls,” and segregation of duties is “almost impractical a majority of the time.” A PDF of the audit can be downloaded here.

Midway Station beautification: A previous auditor noted an “uncollectable debt” of $500,000 to $750,000 owed the city by the Woodford County Economic Development Authority, which owns and manages the Midway Station industrial and commercial park.

Vandegrift said the debt could be satisfied by giving the land to the city to make a park along the Interstate 64 boundary of Midway Station. He said the idea “is to get any sense of control over the land and ideally control of what Midway Station looks like in the end, from your first glance on the interstate and getting off the interstate, and gives us something in return for debt we’re probably never going to get back.”

He added, “From the EDA’s point of view, it gets land off their books they don’t know what exactly they should do with.”

EDA Chair John Soper said the proposed deal “seems like a win-win” for the city and EDA. He said he had spoken to EDA board members, and “It’s something they can feel good about.”

The tract is 34 acres with two “bulbs” of land on the ends and a long strip joining them. Council Member Logan Nance said, “I don’t think we’re talking about a park. We’re talking about taking the general area and beautifying the area.”

Council Member Sara Hicks agreed, saying “a green space is good for everything.” Vandegrift said that in 20 to 50 years, “Trees would provide a nice canopy.”

The mayor said there will be more talks with Soper and the city Parks Board on what do with the land, “but at some point, the council will have to vote on this.”

Vandergrift said in an email to the Messenger after the meeting, “We should preserve this land and make it a useful quality of life addition for our citizens and visitors, not to mention an access point to Elkhorn Creek.”

Cemetery pavilion: Hicks said the Cemetery and City Property Committee received the architectural drawings for the chapel pavilion and that would like to start taking bids from contractors. Council Member Bruce Southworth said, “I think it’s been long enough and it’s time to have permission to start taking bids.” His motion to do that was approved.

A concrete slab has already been laid as the base of the pavilion, with a concrete bier to hold caskets for outdoor funerals. The bier is visible between the two cones on the right in this photo. (To view a larger version of the photo, click on it.)