The St. Francis Hotel, a historic building in Uptown Susanville, was destroyed by an alleged arson fire over six months ago, leaving its charred remains as an eyesore on Main Street. However, there is potential for progress regarding the site.
During the May 7 City Council meeting, City Manager Dan Newton provided an update on the “St. Francis abatement project.” He reported that preliminary work has been initiated, and the city has filed a petition in court to appoint a receiver for the property. A receiver is an entity designated to take possession of distressed properties, manage cleanup efforts, and explore opportunities for improvement.
Newton expressed gratitude for finding a Sacramento-area contractor willing to take on the project, which would not fall under the city’s jurisdiction or budgeting processes. Instead, the receiver would control the cleanup efforts, streamlining the project.
“The work is not going to fall under the city’s umbrella,” Newton said. “It’s not a public project. It’s not going to be subject to the city’s spending processes of prevailing wage. The receiver essentially controls the work.”
Then came the bad news.
“Most likely, the city is going to need to fund the clean up or else it will probably take more time than we want it to, because the receiver will try to fund the work before they start it,” Newton said. “They often do that by going after other assets that a property owner has, or identifying that there’s value in the property, but most likely that clean-up is going to cost more than the property is worth.
Newton said the receiver would be engaged as “an interested party” and will be looking to improve or develop the lot.
“It’s a good move for the city from the standpoint that it’s difficult to get receivers interested sometimes because they have to see value in the end product and the outcome,” Newton said.
A consultant is working on the waste stream profiles, Newton said, but “There is asbestos in the material … the materials are contaminated with asbestos. It’s not a serious threat to the public until it becomes what’s called ‘friable,’ which means it gets into the air. When the construction is being done, the contractor is going to have to take extra precautions to keep the material wet, keep the dust from basically flying.”
But that’s still not the end of it.
Additionally, Newton noted that there are hazardous materials, specifically asbestos, present in the debris. Precautions will be necessary during the cleanup to prevent airborne particles, and the contaminated materials must be disposed of in an approved landfill.
A consultant is currently addressing waste management issues, and bid documents for contractors are prepared. Newton is optimistic that work will commence soon, contingent on the court’s approval of the receivership and the selection of a contractor.
Source: Lassen News
