OWNER GIVEN 120 DAYS TO REPAIR OR SELL OLD DOWNTOWN HOTEL

Possible demolition of the old Marquette Hotel building has been delayed at least until early spring after the city building supervisor last week gave the owner 120 days to make repairs or sell the property.

Steve Williams of the city's planning services division said the city and Carol Bullock of Kensington, Md., spoke at a public hearing Nov. 15. Bullock, daughter of the former owner, is in charge of overseeing the property.

After that meeting, Williams said, the building supervisor decided to give the owner 120 days to make repairs or sell the building.

Williams said he did not know what the owner has planned for the building.

Attempts to reach Bullock on Monday were unsuccessful.

The Marquette Hotel was built in 1928 and has been vacant since 1981. It was owned by Thad Bullock from 1969 until his death in 1999. His wife, Ruby, owns the property, but her daughter, Carol Bullock, is charged with maintaining it.

The six-story, Spanish-influenced building stands on the corner of Broadway and Fountain Street. Once one of the city's finest hotels, the building was shut down by the Missouri Division of Health in July 1971 for safety reasons.

Thad Bullock operated a piano store on the ground level until 1981.

The building, which has steadily fallen into a state of disrepair, was condemned by the city during the summer.

Attempts to sell it have been unsuccessful, even though a prospective buyer from Houston expressed interest in buying and restoring the property.

Although the buyer, Eugene Davis, apparently had signed a purchase agreement with Thad Bullock before his death, Davis has been unable to obtain funding.

The property is estimated to be worth about $700,000.

If Carol Bullock does not make needed repairs or sell the building by the end of the 120-day deadline, the city can proceed with demolition.

"The 120 days would allow time for any possible sale of the property," Williams said.