City starts over in condemnation process

After an appeal hearing Jan. 19, the Canton Council agreed to “reset the clock” and give the owners of 901 W. College St. – the old Heritage Manor Nursing Home site ­– another chance to restore the building before a city-ordered demolition takes place.

Canton Building Official Dwight Lancaster had deemed the building substandard and the city was making plans to tear down the structure.

The facility has been closed since 2013 and has been the target of vandals, transients and drug users.

The hearing was an unusual one for Canton, City Attorney Ron Stutes said.

“This (process) is not something that Canton has well established,” Stutes said. “Our ordinance provides that the building official can make the decision and that decision can be appealed to the city council. You start from scratch and make a complete decision on your own.”

Lancaster provided photographs of the damage to the building’s foundation, walls and windows. He told council the 40,000 square foot building’s roof was sagging and there was black mold inside.

The roof and property are covered with dry pine needles creating a fire concern and the interior of the building has been damaged by vandals, Lancaster said.

Lancaster said the cost to repair the building would exceed the value of the building by 50 percent, therefore, as per state codes, the building should be demolished.

According to the Van Zandt County Tax Appraisal District, the 2015 value of the building is $75,700 and the land at $199,710. The property was valued at more than $1.3 million in 2014.

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