The Roanoke Rapids City Council on Tuesday approved demolition and removal orders for a commercial building at 284–286 Roanoke Avenue and a house at 618 West Fifth Street.

284–286 Roanoke Avenue

The property at 284–286 Roanoke Avenue was previously on the council's agenda in 2008, when a demolition order was approved under a previous owner, Code Enforcement Officer Roger Bell said. That order was rescinded in 2009.

Now there is a different owner who “has been completely unresponsive,” he said. “They have not responded to any of our communication and the last thing we mailed to them came back undeliverable.”

The assessed value of the property is $9,200.

The latest process began when the dental office beside the building reported water leaking from the roof. When the building was inspected, officials determined the roof had collapsed inside the structure. Dense vegetation conceals some of the exterior damage in the rear.

Bell said pictures taken through a window show it is unsafe to enter, as the second floor is encroaching on the first floor. “The damage is widespread. The whole thing is just falling down.”

The investigation began in April, and since then the city has reached out to the owner with the appropriate notices, he said. “We didn’t get any response back. We’ve now passed the deadline.”

Councilwoman Sandra Bryant made the motion to adopt the order, which passed unanimously. 

618 West Fifth Street

Bell described the house at 618 West Fifth Street as one “that’s really kind of been through the wringer. It’s been on our radar for quite a while.”

He said the property owner lives in New Hampshire “and continued to string us along, making us think he was going to do something with it. He kept saying that he wanted this to be his retirement home and that he was coming back here and moving into it. Even if he wanted to come back, he has broken contact with us.”

The assessed value of the house is zero dollars, Bell said. “There’s no securing it or anything else. It’s just wide open.”

He said the house has been on the city’s radar since last year. Because it was abandoned, a compounding series of problems occurred: the HVAC system was dismantled, squatters lived inside until a falling tree struck the structure, and the property later caught fire.

Councilman Andy Jackson made the motion to adopt the demolition order, which passed unanimously.

In other matters, the council:

Approved an ordinance declaring Roanoke Avenue a slow-moving traffic zone ahead of the December 4 Christmas on the Avenue event, running from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Hayrides will be offered during the event.

Approved an ordinance for the temporary closure of Roanoke Avenue between First and Fourteenth streets from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on December 6 for the annual Christmas parade.