Partial building collapse has locals calling for demolition

A partial building collapse in Cambridge has the community talking, and has left the city with a big decision to make.  That decision is being compounded by red tape, with pressure coming in from upset business owners and residents.

A Street in Cambridge is closed down, thanks to a structure at 507 Race St. which suffered the collapse of one of its walls.  And no one knows when the block will be reopened.

"It could be 24 hours, or it could be 72 hours.  A lot of that's going to be determined by what happens tomorrow.  If immediate demolition of that building is the way we go, it's going to be a couple of days," said Brandon Hesson, Associate Director of Economic Development.

The structure in question has been without a roof for years, and now just in the last week it's seen two collapses.  Now it's raising concerns over public safety.

"This particular building we've been in discussions for a few years now, we actually helped the ownership group procure funds to acquire the building to preserve it because it does have some historic significance in that it's in a historic district," said Hesson.

Now residents and local business owners are calling for its demolition.  But for the City of Cambridge, the decision won't be so simple.  And a timeframe for reopening will depend on a decision from city council, a decision that could come Thursday at an emergency council meeting.

"We want to make sure that we keep an attractive, vibrant downtown commercial district and all of the other kind of ancillary uses for that building but the reality is right now the main concern is public safety and every decision that gets made really for the next couple of days is going to be specifically focused on public safety," said Hesson.

Because the structure lies in the historic district, that will play a factor in deciding its fate.

One business owner, who sets up shop across the street, says this isn't the first time the building has caused headaches, as it also closed down Race St. in 2012 after a fire for eight months.

"We lost a good third of our business that year," said Floyd Elzey, owner of Chesapeake Upholstery.  "I'm a small business, we're just trying to pay the bills, and I don't and can't handle having the street closed down to lose business."

Cambridge City Council is holding an emergency meeting Thursday at 3 P.M. on Gage Street.  We are told there will be time for public comment.  City officials say that they will make the meeting an open session so that all solutions can be discussed.