The City Council had approved spending about $350,000 to tear down the building last summer.
FILE – A player lines up a shot at Market Square Billiards in Chicopee.CHICOPEE – The plan to tear down the former Market Square Billiards building and use the property to create a small downtown parking lot has grown more expensive.
This week the City Council was asked to spend another $250,000 to tear down the building at 6-20 Springfield St. It has already allocated about $350,000 for the project.
But faced with questions including one about an outstanding lawsuit over the building, the City Council voted 12-0 to discuss the issue in its finance committee instead of approving the money.
“We are $615,000 into this project if this is passed,” Councilor James K. Tillotson. “It is pretty expensive for 28 parking spaces.”
A year ago, the City Council gave Michael D. Bissonnette its approval to acquire the structure, which was in bank foreclosure, by eminent domain. The 1925 building is in poor condition.
During the process of tearing down the building, officials discovered there was a common wall shared by the adjacent Starzyk Building, creating a new problem.
“A significant amount of unanticipated structural investigation and engineering was required to prepare the plans and (specifications) for the work. In addition the structural stabilization of the Starzyk Building adds significant cost to the project,” Stanley W. Kulig, superintendent of the Department of Public Works said in a letter to the mayor.
The initial estimate of $350,000 was for design, building demolition and construction of the parking lot. The additional $250,000 is needed to stabilize the Starzyk building and for hazardous waste abatement and structural engineering and inspection costs, according to the report.
“If there is a party wall that connects two buildings ... you have to offer them some structural support,” Karen T. Betournay, the city solicitor said.
Members questioned if they were getting into more problems because there is a lawsuit over the building taking.
Betournay confirmed there is a lawsuit filed by IB Property Holdings, of Florida, the company which owned the property. The case is currently in the discovery phase.
“I don’t think there is much of a case,” Betournay said, adding she will have to research it more.
Councilor Charles M. Swider, whose ward includes the downtown area, said many want to see the parking lot, even though it will be small.
“It will be helpful to some businesses downtown,” he said.