Update on 202 Illinois Ave., Council Valley Market

The city of Council is still waiting on written bids for the demolition of the remnants of 202 Illinois Ave, the old Council Valley Market.

So far, the city has reached out to ServPro and Disaster Response requesting written bids. As of December 4th, the City still has not received any. They have been communicating, as City Clerk Ashley Scott tells me she has been reminding them and answering their questions.

The complicating factors are that the burned building contains asbestos, which needs to be disposed of properly. Additionally, the wall between 202 Illinois and Huptye is most likely not structurally sound if the burned debris is removed.

The city has declared the burned property a public nuisance, which allows them to move forward with demolition and cleanup. However, due to the complicating factors mentioned above, they are waiting on a contractor as they don’t want to be held liable for any issues that arise during demo.

Meanwhile, the Smiths, who own the Huptye building, are working with their insurance and structural engineers to settle the structural integrity question so that demo and repair work can continue safely.

It’s possible that the demolition and cleanup will run into six-figure territory. Since the city declared the property a nuisance, and will be moving forward with the cleanup work, the initial cost will be on the city.

How will the city ensure that they (and taxpayers by extension) are not left with the bill? Scott told me that the city could place a lien against the property, ensuring that this lien would be a priority for repayment according to Idaho code. If lien conditions are not met, the city could take possession of the property to recoup expenses.

202 Illinois is .36 acres according to county parcel information and is zoned commercial. A future owner could apply for a mixed use development on this lot, according to city zoning rules. It would require a conditional use permit.

‍