Demolition of former Citizens Bank building in downtown Jonesboro to be decided Tuesday

by George Jared ([email protected]) 416 views 

Photo courtesy of KAIT.

The city of Jonesboro is in the final process of approving a measure that would demolish a building that has been dilapidated for decades and now engineers say it’s a danger to the public.

The Jonesboro Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, (Jan. 21) will consider a resolution to hire Nabholz Construction to manage the removal of the building formerly known as Citizens Bank. The resolution authorizes up to $3.25 million of American Rescue Plan Act originated funding for the project.

The Jonesboro City Council unanimously voted to condemn the structure in December after structural engineers determined the building to be unsafe.

If the agreement and funding for demolition is approved by the Public Safety Committee, Mayor Harold Copenhaver plans to request that the issue be walked on to the City Council meeting which follows.

Pending regulatory approval, the demolition phase is anticipated to take 10 to 12 weeks to complete. If the project is approved, the city will post regular updates on the Jonesboro.org website as well as frequently asked questions and information regarding traffic patterns.

A safety wall has been installed to stop debris from causing damage to adjacent buildings or properties.

The 70-year-old building has been an eye-sore for the downtown area for many years and its owners have been in litigation over what to do with the building. Projects have been proposed through the years, but none came to fruition.