05/17/2026
City Update: Downtown Buildings, Demo Grant & Stormwater Project 🏗️
This is another update in our series covering progress across all major city departments.
Over the past 2 years, I have been in weekly contact with our grant administrator at Mid-MO Regional Planning Commission, who handles our grant work. We have also been actively communicating with CDBG and our state representatives to help move these projects forward.
Demolition Grant (CDBG)
The demolition grant process has been ongoing for nearly 6 years. We originally started with around 9 properties, and after working through title and deed requirements, we are now down to 5 properties eligible for demolition.
This has been a long and demanding process that has required significant time and effort from city staff.
As of May 15, 2026, JT Holman Construction has officially been awarded the contract through CDBG to demolish these 5 homes. The contractor must notify DNR, which triggers a required 10-day waiting period before demolition can begin.
Downtown Building Update (Ogden Street)
The downtown buildings on Ogden Street have been a major concern in the community.
In 2024, the City hired an engineer who determined that:
114 N Ogden (Streeter Building)
112 N Ogden (Greenwood property)
were both structurally unsafe and needed to be demolished.
A show-cause hearing was held on August 12, 2024, requiring owners to either demolish the buildings or present a plan. Unfortunately, no meaningful action was taken, and in the case of 112 N Ogden, the building was made more unstable.
After extended legal discussions, the City—based on legal advice—purchased 114 N Ogden for $5,000. This was a faster and more cost-effective solution than pursuing court action, and it allows us to resell the lot later to recover demolition costs.
We were unable to reach an agreement with the owner of 112 N Ogden, which led to a second show-cause hearing on January 26, 2026, where the City ordered emergency abatement and demolition. The owner was given 30 days to remove contents.
The demolition project was bid out, and JT Holman Construction was awarded the contract at $175,000.
Complications with Adjacent Building (108 N Ogden)
Both contractors raised concerns about the attached building at 108 N Ogden and the risks involved in separating the structures.
The owner of 108 also raised concerns, so the City brought back the engineering firm for further evaluation.
On April 29, 2026, the engineering report concluded that the building at 108 N Ogden does not have sufficient structural stability to remain during demolition without reinforcement, and that failure to stabilize it could result in partial or total collapse.
Because of this, demolition has been temporarily paused until the owner of 108 N Ogden decides whether to:
Stabilize and repair the building, or
Include it in the demolition at their expense
Project Funding
The cost of this demolition will need to come from city reserves.
This is not how we want to spend taxpayer dollars. However, when buildings are allowed to deteriorate over long periods, situations like this become unavoidable. The risk to public safety—especially the possibility of collapse—far outweighs the cost of demolition.
We are taking a long-term approach and plan to recoup these costs through a lien on the property, with a possibility of reimbursement through a future CDBG opportunity.
Stormwater Grant Update
The stormwater project has been moving alongside the demolition grant.
All documents were submitted to CDBG
They were returned for minor revisions
Those revisions are currently being completed by our grant administrator
Once finalized, the project will be ready to go out for bid.
We understand the frustration—each week we are told it is “almost ready,” and we share that same frustration. These processes take time, but we are continuing to push them forward every week.
We appreciate your patience as we work through these complex projects and continue improving our community.
— Mayor Seth Truesdell
