Blight beat: Nearly one year after fire, Ypsilanti Township apartment building demolition moves forward
An Ypsilanti Township apartment building damaged in a Molotov cocktail attack nearly a year ago will soon be demolished.
The eight-unit building at the Woodcreek Apartments on Forest Avenue has not been renovated or torn down because it was at the center of a dispute over the insurance settlement.
The owner of the building, Ken Sharrock, received a $600,000 settlement from Hastings Mutual, but he and an insurance adjuster claimed they needed $150,000 more to bring the building into compliance with current fire codes.
Township Building Director Ron Fulton disagreed that the building needed to meet new fire codes.
To a degree, both parties agreed on what is damaged in the interior. Four of eight units needed to be stripped down to the studs. Six of eight trusses also were damaged. But Fulton''s assessment found no structural damage. He determined most of the damage is related to smoke and water.
The Woodcreek Apartments building on Forest Avenue will soon be torn down.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
Sharrock and the insurance adjuster, Craig Trombley of American Adjusters, appealed Fulton’s decision to the Ypsilanti Township Construction Board of Appeals. The board ruled in the township’s favor.
Trombley and Sharrock then asked the State of Michigan Bureau of Building Codes to hear their case.
In the meantime, the township had filed a lawsuit with the Washtenaw County Circuit Court that asked a judge to order the building repaired or demolished because it sat vacant for so long.
The State of Michigan Bureau of Building Codes declined to hear the case until the lawsuit was settled.
Shortly after, the township received a demolition permit application from a demolition company on behalf of Sharrock. The permit was issued on June 6 and is good for 60 days.
The estimate for the job is $25,000, according to township documents.
Sharrock declined to comment until the court case is settled.
Mike Radzik, director of the township’s office of community standards, said the township has never received any indication that Sharrock intended to rebuild.
“In the absence of any firm plan to rebuild, the building needs to be demolished,” Radzik said, adding that the case would likely be closed after the building is torn down.
Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.
Comments
overeasy2013
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 4:06 p.m.
Hello Tom, thank you for this info..But in the city of ypsilanti the building code/inspectors take there time . 3 building on Hamilton and michgan ave across from EMU BUSIness school and between a resteraunt and a groceri have been Emty and condemte for the last 5 years ..any srory on that iusse. really like to see and ehar it gone. stoe
jondhall
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 5:01 a.m.
Major ..... No now you BUSTED A CAPTAIN
MajorPaul
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 11:42 p.m.
Yeah, I admit it - I SNAFU'd that one. That -1 downvote (my first A2.com demerit) is very well deserved. But my Captain days are long behind me. I just hope none of the Wing see this and ask me to count to 16 or something, 'cause heaven knows I wouldn't hesitate to do it to them.
MajorPaul
Sun, Jun 16, 2013 : 10:02 p.m.
It looks as though I'm just a wee bit confused here, and that doesn't happen very often. Being somewhat familiar with these buildings, I know that the building pictured houses 16 units., 8 on each side of the entry doors. So what they're talking about here is cutting the building in half, and only knocking down the 8 apartments on the west end, or tearing down the entire structure of 16 units? And are the other 8 apartments occupied or is the whole building vacant? Help a brother out, Tom ; ) I'm all twisted up over here.
MajorPaul
Sun, Jun 16, 2013 : 10:15 p.m.
Okay, never mind - I just answered my own question. This is a smaller building that actually only has eight units in total. Sorry for the intrusion. Ixnay on the twisteday.
jns131
Sun, Jun 16, 2013 : 4:26 p.m.
Go Brenda and Fulton go!!!! What a team they make. She came to our watch meeting and nailed us big time for not calling the ordinance division on violations. She wanted to hear more calls. Surprised me. I am surprised this is going to be demolished. It has been there for a long time. That other place out on Rawsonville Road is schedule for the last week of June. Can't wait to see that eyesore go away. Great to hear the township keeps on winning.
jondhall
Sun, Jun 16, 2013 : 3:19 p.m.
Public adjuster rarely serve the public they serve their own interests . Thanks Mr Ron Fulton for doing the right thing here, it is apparent the building was not going back , just more money in someone's pocket. In the meantime the public had to look at this nuisance !
Basic Bob
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 3:51 a.m.
Do you apply the same derision to public accountants? The public adjuster was necessary because the insurance company did not want to cover the actual loss, to a degree that the owner was willing to give up 10% out of his pocket. Only an insurance company adjuster would think this is a crime.