City forces inspections of 2 SIST properties

Two vacant Main Street properties owned by the Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology were inspected by health and safety officials this week in what could be a prelude to having the properties demolished if necessary.

The inspections Tuesday were the result of building inspection warrants filed in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court.

Shawano Building Inspector Brian Bunke said there was initially an agreement with SIST and an appointment for voluntary inspections set up in late April, but SIST backed out.

He said SIST maintained he was not qualified to conduct the inspections.

Bunke said he was to be only a city observer and that a structural engineer and health, fire and safety experts were to conduct the actual inspection.

The city subsequently applied to the court for building inspection warrants for the properties at 143 S. Main St. and 214 S. Main St.

Bunke said he has not yet received the inspection reports from the agencies involved, but is expecting those by early next week.

The inspections were spurred by citizen concerns about the condition of the buildings, Bunke said.

“We had a gentleman come in who looked in the front window of 214 (S. Main St.) and saw a dead pigeon with its head eaten off,” Bunke said.

A passerby also reported seeing standing water inside the building at 143 S. Main St.

Bunke said the inspections at both locations showed damage due to water.

Bunke said that once the inspection results come in he will meet with city officials to talk about the next possible course of action.

“If the damage is so great that it can’t be repaired, they may have to be razed,” he said.

That would mean damage worth more than 50 percent of the property value.

Bunke said that could also take a court order if it goes that route. He said the Redevelopment Authority could step in to handle those proceedings.