Former KHS soon to be demolished
7 THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 Former KHS soon to be demolished By Johanna Burns Staff Reporter A chapter of Kirksville education history will close with the planned demolition of the former Kirksville High School building located at 411 E. McPherson St. The City of Kirksville is working to fulfill the requirements for the Community and Development Block Grant issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to secure funding for the project. The building has been in poor condition for several years and has been a concern for the city since 2006. Brad Selby, Codes and Planning Director, said the building has become an eyesore. He said during 2006 the city became aware the building had several issues, including broken windows, a caved-in roof, and overgrown weeds and trees growing out of the building. Selby said the building has had several owners throughout the years. His department first took action against the owners of the building during 2006, taking legal action in an effort to compel the owners to make repairs, he said. Selby said although the owners at the time were found liable for the repairs and were compelled by the court to fix the issues found, the owners financially were not able to make the necessary changes. Selby said the owners then sold the building to someone who thought they could facilitate the repairs. He said the new owners then discovered they could not afford to repair the damage to the building. “We’ve had people come in because the building has got historic value — there’s no doubt, it’s almost a hundred years old,” Selby said. “We’ve had people come in and say they think they can renovate it.” Selby said developers have shown interest in renovating the building as an apartment complex, but the building structurally is so unstable it would be prohibitively expensive to fix. He said the building currently has no electricity or heating, is rusted and moldy, and has a ruined roof. He said while the outside structure of the building appears sound, the inside poses a real danger. Selby said he doubts anyone could make the necessary renovations and still turn a profit on the building. Selby said the Kirksville Historic Preservation Committee is aware of the historical significance of the old school, but said there is no way to preserve it. He said he had the building condemned before the committee was formed. “We’d love to see the building, something done with it, but we just can’t find anyone that would be willing to do it, and all the owners that have owned it since I’ve been around have been trying to find someone that could take it,” Selby said. Selby said more inspections are required by the city before demolition can begin. Once the building has been inspected for asbestos, the department can reach out to construction companies for bids, he said. Selby said he hopes to begin demolition during July and finish by October of this year. The project is funded in part by a Community and Development Block Grant and in part by the current owner of the building, Selby said. The CDBG program is designed to provide resources to communities to address a wide range of community needs, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website. The school was built during 1914 by architects Trank & Gordon to relieve overcrowding in the school district, according to a 1986 Kirksville Codes and Planning survey. The survey noted the school Photos by Trevor Stark/Index Above: The south entrance of the former Kirksville High School is boarded up to bar entrance to the dilapidated structure. The building is slated to be demolished during summer and fall 2015. was abandoned during 1960 when the current high school was constructed. The school was used to host Board of Education meetings until 1978, and that was the last time the school actively was used. At the time of that survey, the school’s condition was rated as poor. Editor’s note: The building’s owner was unable to speak with the Index due to schedule constraints. Above left: Padlocks and chains secure the doors on the east entrance to the former Kirksville High School building. This security is intended to keep potential trespassers from entering the decaying structure. Top right: The stone marker above the south entrance of the old Kirksville High School shows the building’s original purpose. Bottom right: The rear docking area of the former Kirksville High School building stands vacant and covered in vines. The structure has been a concern for the city of Kirksville since 2006 and was deemed too structurally unsound to be repaired or restored. KITCHEN HELP WANTED 202 S. 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