Times Observer photo by Ann-Marie Gariepy Part of the walkway outside 231-237 Pennsylvania Ave. W. has been blocked following last week’s city Redevelopment Authority meeting. The buildings have been deemed unsafe and a request for proposals for their demolition has been issued.

City officials say steel vaults underneath the walkway at 231-237 Pennsylvania Ave. W. are one of the reasons the property is scheduled for demolition.

One member of a group who appeared at a recent Redevelopment Authority meeting questioned the request for proposals for demolition while the RDA is also accepting proposals to redevelop the site.

“Yesterday we had an architect as well as a contractor that went through the building,” said Winans, who questions whether the facade of the historical buildings can be preserved for another project. “The conflict between these two is odd. No matter what happens, is that building going to be destroyed? It seems contrary to your (the RDA’s) request.”

Those with questions now have an answer.

Walkways in front of the properties at 231-237 Pennsylvania Avenue West have been blocked by half their width following the meeting of the city’s Redevelopment Authority last week. The existing buildings have been deemed structurally unsound by the Warren City engineer.

Liability concerns were raised in regard to the properties as they are uninsured. Pieces of the buildings have been known to fall onto the sidewalks. Additionally there was concern with the safety of the walkway in front of the properties. The original steel vaults, historically used as a delivery system, remain as free space underneath the walkway pads and pose a danger to pedestrians, according to city officials.

The RFP for demolition of 231-237 Pennsylvania Ave. involves demolishing existing buildings and disposing of debris, though adjoining buildings are to be protected and undamaged.

The following items are to be salvaged and delivered to the city: all stone cornices and decorative entablatures, stone eagles and inlaid stone crests. The foundation cavity will be backfilled to prepare the entire site for development and restore adjacent concrete surfaces. Contractors will have to take care while backfilling the site so that existing buildings aren’t damaged.

The last development on the site would have incorporated the eagle facade on the front of the existing buildings and incorporated them into the design for the senior center. That project also included the demolition of the existing buildings on the site .