NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Commissioners will soon vote on tearing down several buildings on 2nd Avenue following the Christmas Day bombing.
On 2nd Avenue, work can be dangerous. Glass still litters the street, and one worker was crunched in a small space that looked like a window to make a repair. They also extended a fence on 1st Avenue for safety reasons.
Some engineers believe that several of the buildings are at risk of collapsing which is why they asked for a demolition permit. Building 170, 172, 174, and 176 used to be a boutique, condos, and other businesses.
The building owners wrote a letter to the city requesting "an expedited process to permit controlled demolition." They said they "are an imminent safety concern."
Project manager Ron Gobbell explained there are problems with joists and beams as he showed Metro's Historic Commission around the site. "They had to stabilize that, and now they’re finally able to get in there and start doing miscellaneous demolition," Gobbell said.
The buildings in question are directly across from where the bomber parked the RV. Recently, they've been working to reinforce walls nearby.
"We’ve been working closely with engineers to make sure what we’re doing here doesn’t compromise those structures," Gobbell said.
Fortunately, some historical items like original bricks were saved as preservationists have been raising funds to rehabilitate the street.
"They found out that a lot of the mortar had disintegrated so really the bricks were almost clean," said Gobbell.
If they vote in favor of the demolition on Wednesday, it will start in a couple of business days. However, in order for the meeting to happen, several things have to fall into place. It’s possible it could be appealed if they vote against demolition.
