Article Photos

HANCOCK - The owner of a building damaged in a fatal fire July 25 found a company to clear debris from the building, and he appeared at the Hancock City Council meeting Wednesday to ask council members for assistance in paying the contractor $75,000 for the work, which they did.

Derek Bradway said he hired Northend Excavating of Allouez to do the debris removal, and he paid the company $20,000 immediately to begin work.

Bradway said he would like the council to pay him the $20,000 down payment, then pay the remainder of the $75,000 in increments over the 30 days the debris removal is supposed to take.

By a 1998 Michigan state law, Bradway said a local government can request 25 percent of an insurance policy payout on a commercial building and put it in escrow as a way to prevent a damaged building becoming blighted. The city's portion of the insurance for the Quincy Street building was $81,000.

It's because of that he was asking the council to pay the debris removal costs.

The fire at the building killed four residents.

Bradway said he's worked with the owner of Northend Excavating previously, and he's confident in the company's abilities, particularly where worker and community safety was concerned.

"He's very adamant about that," he said.

The building is in a high traffic area, and Bradway said the contractor is taking steps to make certain debris doesn't end up on the street or sidewalk.

Bradway said work began on the debris removal Monday, and it's progressing well.

"They've got a significant part of the commercial area (on the first floor) cleared out," he said.

Hancock City Manager Glenn Anderson said it's important the building facade look as good as possible during the renovation, and because of that he asked Bradway to make certain the window panes on the first floor are replaced as soon as possible, rather than just cover the windows with plywood.

Bradway said he would look into replacing the window panes, and he also said he intended to return the windows on the second and third floors to their historic look, which will also help him with a state tax program he intends to apply for.

"We're looking at low-income tax credits," he said. "Initially, it looks like a favorable thing to do."

Councilman Rick Freeman, who owns Northwoods Sporting Goods next door to Bradway's building, said it's important the contractor keep moving on clearing the debris.

"From what I can tell, they're doing a good job," he said. "They're moving right along."

The council voted unanimously to pay Bradway the $20,000 he paid the contractor, then pay the remainder of the $75,000 to the contractor in one payment of $5,000 and two payments of $25,000 over the course of the project.

Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie @mininggazette.com.