Historic Springdale Building Earns Reprieve

Buyer Interested In Buying, Repairing Poultry Industry Site

The exterior of the Jeff Brown Hatchery building at 317 E. Emma Ave. in Springdale.
The exterior of the Jeff Brown Hatchery building at 317 E. Emma Ave. in Springdale.

SPRINGDALE -- The Brown building, a structure on Emma Avenue in downtown Springdale, dodged demolition Tuesday after a buyer showed interest.

The City Council voted to table a demolition contract Tuesday for the structure and give Mayor Doug Sprouse and City Attorney Ernest Cate the power to negotiate a purchase price.

At A Glance

Council Action

Springdale’s City Council met Tuesday and approved:

• Rezoning 21 acres at the southeast corner of East Emma and Old Missouri Road, including Parsons Stadium, owned by the Springdale Benevolent Foundation from light industrial to institutional

• A construction payment for the Don Tyson Parkway Interchange to Emery Sapp and Sons for $1.4 million

• Settling two condemnation lawsuit settlements along the 56th Street Improvement and Extension project.

Source: Staff Report

The possible buyer looked at the building Tuesday, Sprouse said. The purchaser has asked not to be identified yet, Sprouse said. Jim Cypert, the former owner of the building, donated it to the city.

"The buyer thinks the building will work for them," Sprouse said. "We just want to make sure we don't leave the city with any debt."

Cypert was given the opportunity to repair the building or demolish it, but chose to give it to the city as an alternative. Water damage to the building was extensive, according to Mike Chamlee, building inspection director, because of a roof that leaked for years.

The donation would have allowed city officials to raze the building and be left a clear title to a lot that could be sold. If officials condemned and razed the building while Cypert owned it, a lien could be placed on the property to recover the cost. That lien, however, would only be paid when and if the property sold, said Ernest Cate, city attorney.

A purchaser would allow the building to be repaired and used, Sprouse said. The building, at 317 E. Emma Ave., was one of the first chicken hatcheries in Springdale, owned by the Jeff Brown Company. The structure, along with the original Tyson Headquarters next door at 319 E. Emma Ave., is part of the Springdale Poultry Industry Historic District.

The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, approved in 2011.

Any chance to sell the building instead of demolishing it should be investigated, said Brad Bruns, alderman.

The council delayed demolishing the Apollo Theater and its under contract, said Mike Overton, alderman.

"We could soon have the same thing for the Brown Building," Overton said.

Kathy Jaycox, alderwoman, cautioned the council the demolition has been delayed for over a year.

"I hope we sell it, but we don't need to keep giving two weeks and then two more weeks," Jaycox said. "If it doesn't sell, this needs to end."

Sprouse said he and Cate would try to be back with an offer at its June 10 meeting. If an agreement cannot be reached, the city can still tear the building down, Bruns said.

A $46,995 bid by M&M Excavation to demolish the building will expire before the next council meeting, Sprouse said. The demolition company can be asked to extend its bid, he said.

"Hopefully, we'll have a purchase price in two weeks," Sprouse said.

The major cost for the city on the building has been asbestos removal, Sprouse said. That cost less than $20,000, he said.

The council also approved contracts to remove asbestos and the demolish buildings at 100 E. Emma Ave. and 125 Mill St. The asbestos removal contract with Snyder Environmental is for $27,885 and the demo contract with Arco Excavation and Paving is for $149,700.

The money to pay for the contracts was raised by the Springdale Downtown Alliance, Sprouse said, including $100,000 from Tyson Foods. The demolition of the buildings and closing of Mill Street will create the space for a park to be named after Walter Turnbow, a long-time city leader who is a member of the alliance. The Razorback Greenway, a 36-mile trail stretching from Fayetteville to Bentonville, will run through the park.

NW News on 05/28/2014

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