Collapsed building on Themis Street should be cleaned up by next month

David White won't open the curtains in his bedroom window because of the "junkyard" behind his apartment building on Themis Street.

Last May, an apartment building collapsed at the corner of Themis and North Ellis streets, and little cleanup work has been done since.

Bricks, broken bottles, decayed wood and remnants of police tape still clutter the area.

"It's definitely an eyesore," said White, who's lived on the first floor of the Otahkian Apartments at 734 Themis St. for three months.

Steve Williams, who handles condemnation procedures for the city's Planning Services Division, promises debris will be cleared from the area soon.

On Feb. 27, the city awarded a $21,395 contract to Nip Kelly Construction Company of Cape Girardeau to clean the property.

Williams said Nip Kelley is allowed 45 days for debris removal. According to the contract, the area should be cleaned up by April 13.

"Hopefully we'll get it done sooner than that," Williams said. "I know Kelley is having some problems now because the landfill at Dexter is closed. If that doesn't reopen soon, they'll haul the debris to Poplar Bluff."

When the building originally collapsed, property owner Ann Morales, who lives in South Carolina, told the city she would handle the cleanup work. But in January, Morales said a local contractor she hired in November never completed the job.

Morales then agreed to have the city advertise for bids for demolition and cleanup of the property.

Once the property is cleaned, Morales will be billed by the city.

"We'll be happy to get the Morales property cleaned up," Williams said. "Sometimes things just don't run as smoothly as they should."

White will also be happy once the debris is cleared from the property. "With the weather getting warmer, it may be infested with roaches and rodents here soon," he said.

Larry Summary, who owns the apartment complex, complained of rats infesting the debris near the apartment building in October. He set out traps and hasn't seen any rats since.

White said the debris-filled lot didn't deter him from renting in the apartment building.

"Obviously that was one of the first things I saw, but I figured it would have been cleaned up by now," he said.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246