Press Release
December 9, 2010
RE: Clarification of the City of Salida’s position and response to the ownership of the Unique Theater regarding the abatement of the unsafe condition.
The headline in the Mountain Mail on Wednesday December 8th was inaccurate and misleading regarding the City’s position on the abatement of the unsafe condition of the Unique Theater. The City has suspended the work by DSI on the stabilization of the Unique to give time, once again, to the owner to pursue the appropriate permits for his preferred method of bringing the building into a safe condition. The preferred method of Salcat as reported is to demolish the back section of the building.
The City Administration, with the concurrence and support of the City Council, is giving Salcat until December 20th to begin the actual work of the removal of asbestos from the building under the permit that was issued by the Colorado Department of Health December 7th. In addition, the permit to demolish the back section must also be issued by December 20th deadline. Failure to begin the work or obtain the permits by the deadline will result in the City on December 21st pursuing the necessary court authority to allow DSI to complete the stabilization as planned and under contract.
City Administrator Jack Lewis, “it has always been the City’s desire to have Salcat do the work to fix the Unique and to not have to spend tax monies on the property. I truly hope that Salcat performs in a timely manner to alleviate the hazard. If not, we are fully prepared to protect the public in a very quick manner.”
For clarification or additional questions please contact Jack Lewis at 530-2631 or jack.lewis@cityofsalida.com.
I have a few questions about The Unique story . Did I read somewhere that at one time the City loaned money to the owner , and if so why and were they paid back ? Is this building facing foreclosure ? What plan does Salcat have for this building . Was it bought to flip and now they are upsidedown in this property and can’t pay the bills related to it ? It seems to me there is something not right about the way Salcat is handling this situation . How old is this building and what is the history of it ?
JT, The building was Salida’s opera house, built in the railroad and mining boom days of the late 1800s. It’s one of the town’s unique architectural treasures, contributing to the integrity of what is often described as Colorado’s largest extant brick historic downtown district.
I don’t know enough about the financial side of SalCat’s dealings with Salida to answer those questions, but I’m sure someone else in the community does…
Thanks Susan