Politics & Government
City Council Preview: Old Buildings Face Demolition
Gilroy's City Council will discuss whether to award construction company's contracts to tear down unoccupied business and residential buildings.
At Monday’s 6 p.m. city council meeting, Gilroy may authorize construction companies to demolish three old, unoccupied buildings on Monterrey Street, and one unoccupied home on Old Gilroy Street
The buildings on Monterrey Street, sitting on land originally purchased for the Gilroy Arts Center, do not meet current building seismic requirements, according to Rick Smelser, Gilroy’s Public Works Director.
Porcella’s Music, located at 7357 Monterrey Street, shares a common wall with one of the buildings. Yet it will be rebuilt as part of the project, which is expected to cost the city of $123,943—money that has already been included in this year’s budget.
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The council will also be voting on whether or not to demolish a single family dwelling on 271 Old Gilroy Street. It was in foreclosure until the city purchased it due to expanding the adjacent Forest Hills Park.
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation expressed interest in preserving the buildings, but no bids for relocating the building have been received.
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The council will also be discussing a construction contact for the Uvas Creek Outfall Construction project, which sits at the south end of Christmas Hill Park.
A few years ago, a drainage outlet failed, causing erosion on the banks of Uvas Creek. Through the project, the outlet would be reconstructed, alongside two forebays, and other drainage inlet structures.
For more details about tonight’s meeting, an agenda is online here. A webcast will be available by tomorrow.
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