The Springfield Township Board has taken the next step in efforts to demolish the Whoopee Bowl, but the owners have taken one step further to appeal.
After a closed session on Oct. 14 with the township attorney, the board voted unanimously to stop granting extensions to a previous demolition order for the familiar orange building.
At the Oct. 21 Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Supervisor Collin Walls answered a question on the topic with a confident statement: ‘The building will be demolished.?
The statement drew a round of applause from chamber members, but the attorney for the former flea market-salvage store have filed an appeal to the township’s order.
‘They’re working to try to keep it out of court,? said operator Larry Marlowe, but, ‘If it does, it does.?
The appeal is not a surprise, based on the latest letter from Kingsley Cotton, the attorney representing the Marlowes.
‘The Marlowes have retained their right to appeal because they believe the hearing officer erroneously determined the concrete structure is unsafe,? Cotton wrote in an Oct. 1 letter to Walls.
After a March 2003 hearing, township officials ordered a variety of cleanup actions. In June 2004, citing lack of appropriate progress, the board voted to designate it a ‘dangerous building? under township ordinance and again ordered remedial action ? including demolition.
The board sought demolition bids from outside contractors, but in August tabled the demolition order to give the owners more time to comply.
Among defects seen by township officials were a partially collapsed roof, obstructed doors and stairway, openings at several locations, debris to the point of making the building ‘a dumping ground,? a large crack in an exterior wall, and open, unstable storage trailers.
Since June, Larry Marlowe has supervised demolition of a wooden structure immediately adjacent to the concrete building and removal of the collapsed roof and other debris. He maintains, however, that the more-than-50-year-old business has lots of merchandise to be liquidated.
He has been working with various wholesalers and salvage operations, but said, ‘There’s not a lot of places around who can take that much.?
The Marlowes have also tried to market the property. Past deals have fallen through, and Larry Marlowe said Monday there is nothing to report concerning present negotiations.
While making few public statements about the Whoopee Bowl specifically, township officials have long advocated improvements along the Dixie Highway corridor, which Walls calls Springfield’s ‘front door.?