Point Reyes Light- September 17, 1998
Grandi Building's roof collapses
While Ken Wilson, owner of the Grandi Building, is proceeding with plans to restore the crumbling Point Reyes Station landmark, he hasn't moved fast enough to prevent its back roof from caving in. The collapse, which occurred sometime this summer, may weaken the entire, two-story brick building, and county building staff fear that pedestrians on Second and A streets will be hit by falling bricks
"The roof collapsed in the wood-frame portion of the building's backside. Although it's not structurally connected to the masonry part, the wooden portion may serve to shore up the whole building," said county-planning services coordinator Scott Davidson.
County staff consider the Grandi to be an unsafe "public nuisance," and have posted no parking signs along the building's southeast side on Second Street, Davidson said. (The signs have since been removed, he said, and must be re-posted.)
In the meantime, Wilson has been ordered to remove the collapsed wooden roof, fence in the exposed area, and hire an independent engineer to determine whether the building needs additional bracing, Davidson said.
Wilson completed all but one of the tasks by Tuesday, the deadline the county had given him. He has yet to submit an engineer's report regarding how sturdy the building is now.
County supervisors on Tuesday expressed disappointment that Wilson did not submit the engineer's report on time, especially since the Grandi already poses a public-safety threat.
Wilson argued that it would be "impossible" to get an engineer to say that the Grandi is sturdy enough not to harm someone, given that the structure has been condemned by the county and needs a seismic retrofit.
The supervisors insisted that Wilson nevertheless go ahead submit an engineer's report in time for an October 6 hearing.
In addition, the supervisors voted to "explore all options for abating hazardous conditions at the site" - including the possibility of legally wresting ownership from Wilson.
"We're committed to solving this problem, with whatever form that may take," Davidson said after the meeting.
Supervisor Steve Kinsey expressed concern about Wilson's rate of progress on the Grandi, and urged the owner to respond to county planners' questions about the project by October 1.
"If Wilson doesn't comply, the county has several options: do nothing, bulldoze the building, or pursue a way to restore the building. Any action the county takes will expend public funds," Davidson noted.
Some Point Reyes Station residents have suggested that a private fundraising drive could help in the restoration, provided such help resulted in some control over building's destiny, Point Reyes Station Village Association member Wiebke Buxbaum told county supervisors Tuesday.
Given that Wilson has been unwilling in the past to enter into such a partnership with the West Marin community, Buxbaum asked the supervisors to "move us beyond this roadblock."
Kinsey, however, responded that "forced marriages are no good," adding that the Grandi's future rests with Wilson's compliance with county requirements.
After the hearing, Wilson told The Light his goal is to save the Grandi and move ahead with his retrofit and building plans, and said he was prepared to meet the county's demands.
No prospective buyers have made him a formal offer on the building thus far, he said.