An Elkhart eyesore is closer to being demolished. The former Walter Piano building’s condition since a fire earlier this month has gone from bad to worse. Before the fire, bricks began falling from the building, forcing the city to fence a portion of the property.
The city has been trying to take legal ownership of the building and now is close to making that happen. City officials say the owner is a defunct overseas corporation that has no interest in maintaining ownership.
“It’s definitely a blight in the community,” says Barkley Garrett, Elkhart economic development director. “It’s an eyesore, but more so than that, it is a health and safety issue, especially after the fire.”
City officials hope to wrap up legal requirements for ownership by the middle of September.
