Thursday, Jul. 24, 2008

Merced Sun-Star Tip List: Will a thrift store save the day for a worn-out Atwater building?

ATWATER -- The building at the corner of Capital Street and Broadway in Atwater has probably seen better days -- but the anonymous tipster who called about it late last week can't remember when those were.

Long ago the building was home to Big D's video store, she said, but that closed down several years ago. Someone else had plans to open a business there, but that seems to have stalled.

In the meantime, our tipster said the building and surrounding fencing are falling apart. Its walls are constantly smeared with graffiti, and people use it as a place to dump their once-loved belongings.

A box of discarded books, a duffel bag, a living room set, a broken coffee pot and a single athletic shoe were just some of the items Tip List spotted around the Capital Street side of the building.

"It's an old section of town, and there's a few of us on this street who work really hard to keep our places up," said our tipster. "You have to see that every time you come and go. Somebody has to do something."

Thankfully, owner and Merced attorney John Garcia does plan to do something about the issues on his property. "I've had it for quite some time," Garcia said of the property. "I've been trying to rent it."

But, Garcia said, he has been having problems finding a tenant who meets the city's standards. He has a renter who wants to open a thrift store in the building in question, but that renter has been having problems getting a business license.

Garcia said Atwater officials want him to make some "minor" modifications to the property before allowing a business to operate there. "I'm going to go ahead and do that," Garcia said.

He has been painting over the graffiti regularly plastered there, as passers-by can see new white paint covering most of the building. Once his renter is able to get a license and start her business, he believes much of the vandalism that has made the site an eyesore will stop.

Atwater Community Development Director Charlie Woods said residents who have similar issues with buildings within the city should report them to the code enforcement department. "That's the initial point of contact," he said.

The city also has plans to hire an additional building inspector to help handle similar types of situations. "To deal with dangerous buildings you have to be familiar with building code," he said. With another building inspector on staff, Woods believes the city will be able to work more effectively on problem spots in the city.

WHAT'S WRONG: The building at the corner of Capitol Street and Broadway in Atwater has a run-down appearance that neighbors are tired of looking at on their drives through town.

WHAT'S BEING DONE: Owner John Garcia has plans to refurbish the building and rent it to a business owner.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE: Call Atwater code enforcement department at (209) 357-6358 to report problem buildings. To report a foreclosed home in disrepair, call the Atwater Police Department at (209) 357-6385.