An Urco Inc. construction worker walks along the top of a pile of rubble that used to be the Aracoma Hotel in downtown Logan. The demolition is ongoing and crews will soon begin hauling debris to another location. (Photo/Michael Browning)
Logan Mayor Serafino Nolletti said the project has gone swiftly once it started, but admitted there has been another unforeseen delay — paperwork.
"They are working on getting approval for the dump site," Mayor Nolletti said. "(County Administrator) Rocky Adkins is working on getting that approved and there is still some last minute paperwork to take care of. When it is completed and approved, it may take five to six days to haul the rubble away. There are four trucks lined up to start hauling as soon as the site is approved."
When Urco Inc. crews got half the building down, Stratton Street opened up to motorists and foot traffic.
While the contractors were on break, Main Street was also reopened, but both streets had to be closed for additional demolition. Stratton Street is currently open and Main Street is still partially closed.
The mayor said Stratton Street will remain open even though Main Street is closed for now and will probably stay closed when the crews start hauling away debris.
"When the building is down completely, Main Street may open up again temporarily but it might be closed when the trucks start hauling the debris away," he said. "Hopefully, Stratton Street will not be affected anymore."
The Aracoma Hotel, built in 1917 and once known as Logan’s most modern and only fireproof building, is historic for housing Pres. John F. Kennedy during his 1960 campaign. It was also a union stronghold and numberous famous actors and actresses and other dignitaries stayed at the Aracoma.
It caught fire on Nov. 15 and 11 days later, on Thanksgiving morning, the Main Street and Cole Street corner of the building collapsed, making it unsalvageable. The owner of the hotel says he wants to rebuild, but estimates are reportedly about $2-$3 million for a new hotel.
City officials are working to try to secure a low-interest loan to help with rebuilding the hotel on a smaller scale, Mayor Nolletti said in previous interviews.
Mayor Nolletti had more good news on another related demolition project. The city is planning to have Urco Inc. raze another large structure in the city that needs to be brought down.
The proposed demolition of the Holland Lane Parking Garage Number 2. Urco Inc., the contractor demolishing the hotel, offered to raze the parking garage for a fraction of the proposed demolition cost another company had offered and the councilmembers decided to go forward on that proposal at last month's Logan City Council meeting.
The parking building has been closed for several weeks because the mayor said it has bad structural problems. The building was built in 1980 and had housed a telemarketing center on its top floor that was built on several years later.
There were very few automobiles parked in the garage during its last months and most were parking there without paying any fees to the city. A parking garage attendant had not been employed at the building in more than a year and the bars at the entrance had been broken for just as long.
Noletti said he hopes the bank doesn't make the city pay the entire $2 million it owes on the structure that cost $2.5 million when it was built 30 years ago.
"We will be meeting with the contractors and Eddie Canterbury of Logan Bank and Trust," Nolletti said.
"The contractors will tell him how they will bring the building down. They would have to get approval from him to use some of their property on that, but so far that is looking good. We have not signed a contract yet, but things appear to be going okay, unless something unforeseen comes up."
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