Struthers building demolished; resident upset

By GRAIG GRAZIOSI

ggraziosi@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

A dust cloud expanded over the onlookers who gathered outside 108 S. Bridge St. downtown to watch as heavy machines tore the structure apart Tuesday morning.

The building was at the center of a monthslong battle between its occupant, Michael Gabriel, and the city .

In November, Mayor Terry Stocker and then-Safety Service Director Ed Wildes selected a trio of buildings downtown – including 108 S. Bridge – they felt needed to be either repaired or demolished as part of an effort to spur revitalization in the area.

The city claimed the structure was a safety hazard, pointing to cracks throughout the exterior as evidence that bricks might start falling off the building and onto nearby sidewalks.

Gabriel, whose son owns the building, was living at the property and argued the city’s assessment was intentionally misleading. He said he was targeted and forced out.

“They’re stealing the property. Stocker and his gang with all their false complaints,” Gabriel said. “It makes me sad the way they did it. They could have asked me and just made a fair offer on the building.”

Stocker, who was at the demolition, defended the city’s decision to raze the building.

“It’s not safe. We feel we’re doing the right thing,” Stocker said. “We’ve done everything we could to give him a chance to fix it, but it’s just too dangerous to keep up.”

Safety Service Director Bob Norris said there will be a lien against property taxes to cover the cost of the demolition – estimated between $12,000 and $15,000 – after which the city intends to foreclose and take the property.

Gabriel said he will have to move into a truck-pulled trailer as a result of the

demolition.