Bradley County Judge Klay McKinney gave a detailed explanation of how the county demolished five buildings on Cedar Street in Warren over the past two weeks, during the monthly Quorum Court meeting Monday.
“It was pretty awesome what happened last week,” he said, noting that there were no injuries during the whole process. About 300-400 loads of material were transported to the county landfill.
By Tim Kessler
Saline River Chronicle Contributor
“I knew the task we had was daunting,” McKinney said, but he said he had experienced heavy equipment operators in charge with over 100 years of experience between them.
He said some portions of the buildings were 38 feet tall which required an additional large crane to be brought in. Demolition of The Sandwich Shop actually resulted in the structure imploding.
He said that a contractor that he had hired had said there was a 99 percent chance that damage to the two buildings on the east side of the block would be done as the other buildings were removed. In the end, a 2 ½-foot thick section that was 20 feet long began to have bricks fall on it as the rest of the structures were removed.
McKinney also said The Sandwich Shop was apparently built over an ancient brick cistern that had sewage accumulating in it.
He said preliminary plans are to place some pedestals with electric outlets on the property to use as a food court during special events.
“I commend the court for giving me the ability and opportunity to do this,” he said.
Later in the meeting, the justices agreed to set up a committee to decide what to do with the property. The committee will consist of two county representatives, one city representative and JPs Dana Harvey and Gwen Bullard agreed to sit on the committee.
In other action:
- Edith Strong addressed the Quorum Court regarding the renovation of a church in the Mount Olive community. McKinney said he had contact Patrecia Hargroves, executive director of Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District, who will seek an Arkansas Historic Preservation Program grant for the project.
- McKinney reported that Sheriff Herschel Tillman had problems in finding a jail to hold a female inmate recently. Arkansas Department of Correction took in a state prisoner to help provide space for that prisoner. However, finding bedspace for any prisoners continues to be a problem and McKinney and Tillman will visit jails in Nevada and Little River counties to get ideas on how Bradley County could formula a jail solution.
- McKinney said a $300,000 mitigation grant will be sought to replace the last two wooden bridges in the county. He said part of the grant would be used to straighten a road in the Union Hill community and put in a 90-foot steel bridge there. The rest would be used to replace a wooden bridge with a concrete one.
- A $300,000 state grant will be sought to deal with opioid addiction in the county. Previous funds were used to expand New Beginnings’ services in a former assisted living facility.
- A $150,000 Delta Regional Authority grant will be sought to hire an architect to provide a 1-, 5- and 10-year strategic plan for all county property.
- Katrina Tatum was reappointed to the County Equalization Board.
- Two appropriation ordinances were approved to amend the 2022 operating budget and transfer American Rescue Act funds in regard to county construction projects. One of those projects involves a new building under construction near Grace Cowboy Church. McKinney said soil samples had been taken on that project and an architect was working on the infrastructure, with the county to do foundation work.
- In the Sheriff’s Department report, the Municipal Court Virtual Justice Fund took in $4,505 in April and Circuit Court fees and fines totaled $1,060. There were 13 transports totaling 1,247 miles, 78 papers served, 36 tickets/citations issued, 17 inmates currently incarcerated, one inmate on ankle monitor and $18,290 paid for housing inmates.
Good to see the 5 million dollar COVID response building is still in the works! Can’t wait to see an empty lot across from the courthouse with electric poles and a weed farm surrounding it.
That sounds about right. Let’s just tear down everything around the court house. Then we can have one massive empty lot for a mediocre two day festival that happens once a year. Lord knows we need businesses and jobs, but I guess empty lots are better.
I just appreciate people commenting on stuff that they don’t have a clue about. Always negative that is not good. Go JUDGE! and all involved.
they should look into doing something like El dorado did with the Murphy art district with that block
I don’t think anyone WANTS to tear down every building around the courthouse and yes we need businesses and jobs, but there was NOT going to be any new businesses moving into those buildings with the shape they were in, and even if they did, do we want the buildings collapsing onto said new businesses? If anything, tearing these buildings down will hopefully invite some new businesses to build in those lots.
Why not put in a splash pad for the kids or something for our youth to help keep them off the streets
I was born and raised in Warren. The recent demolition of the buildings on Cedar Street gave me sad pause and caused a long moment of reflection about my youth. As a teenager, I worked at Wayne’s Confectionery during the 1950’s as a soda jerk and short order cook. I had previously worked at the Pastime and Avalon theaters, moving from there to Wayne’s provided me with $6 more a week. It was the best time of my life. Warren was a bustling town and the center of my world. Wayne’s was an exciting place then. The owner, Wayne Wiesner, was the of a cast of characters right out of a Damon Runyon play (southern version, of course). The characters I worked with were Jimmy Russell, Paul Whittaker, Rip Johns and Billy Don Binns. The adjacent businesses were J. T. Ederington on the corner, father down was Hankins Hardware, Arkansas Power and Light and the Southern Hotel. I still have my collection of Silver Dollars that I obtained while working there. Have my apron too. I have hundreds of stories about my experiences of working at Wayne’s. Too bad, no one what to hear them.