WILMINGTON — Property recently obtained by the city following a settlement agreement with local business owner Peter Koke will be demolished in the coming months.
The City of Wilmington settled ongoing litigation with Koke and his business Funk Yard LLC for $2.1 million. In the agreement, three properties owned by Koke — 222, 226 and 1536 S. Front St. — were purchased by the city.
READ MORE: City resolves legal property matters with Peter Koke for $2.1M
One of the parcels, 1536 S. Front St., sits on 0.74 acres at the southern portion of Willard Street in the Greenfield Lake area of the South Front District. The city released a request for proposals May 2 to demo the structures on site.
Most recently, the parcel was used as storage for Koke’s Funk Yard business and the city wants to clean up the remaining debris. Demolition includes two buildings, built between 1954 and 1957, totaling 10,702 gross square feet made of masonry brick with steel beams and concrete slab foundations.
According to an assessment by Atlantic Shores Environmental Services, the vacant buildings are in poor condition, and there is asbestos-containing materials on site.
Also to be removed are miscellaneous debris, and impervious foundations and driveways. The land is located in a FEMA flood hazard zone and within a general industrial district. The RFP notes any mature trees on site must be left.
“There are no plans for the site other than cleaning, removing unusable structures, and preparing it for future use yet to be determined,” city spokesperson Jerod Patterson said.
The deadline for companies to submit proposals for the work is May 19, with a tentative city council vote on awarding a contract June 20.
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