A SECTION OF THE JAMES S. MINER Riverwalk is currently closed to the public.
On Monday, June 29, a structural engineer provided the city of Owosso with a report on the Matthews Building on the corner of Main and Water streets. The Matthews Building has often been in the newspaper as of late. The engineer is working for the new owner of the structure – Nemer Haddad, an out-of-area businessman.
The report provided to the city demonstrated that the walls on the western section of the building, facing the Shiawassee River, need bracing and reinforcing.
The city decided to proceed with caution by temporarily closing the walkway along the western wall of the Matthews Building. A portion of the western section of the building roof collapsed earlier this year.
The city has a court date set for Monday, July 13 with Haddad related to earlier misdemeanor charges regarding the Matthews Building.
A public hearing for a tax abatement request on the Matthews Building was rescheduled during the Monday, June 15 Owosso City Council meeting because the applicant/owner did not show. The property has been up for redevelopment for a number of years, beginning in 2014 when Randy Woodworth purchased the building. The new owner has submitted similar plans to the city – suggesting a rehabilitation project valued at roughly $8,000,000.
(Independent Photo/Karen Mead-Elford)
