Decatur City Council approves demolition of old Durfee School

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) -The Decatur City Council approved the demolition of two dilapidated former Decatur schools, during Monday nights meeting.

The former Durfee school on Grand Ave & Jasper St. and the former Centennial/Coppenbarger school on E Condit St. & Woodford St. were both approved for demolition.

City staff described the state of the buildings as large public hazards and dangerous nuisances, and photos shown of the current conditions confirmed.

The cost of demolition is approximately $1.68 million, which will be paid from a City special projects reserve or from a combination of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds and special projects reserve.

The City believes waiting to demolish one building or both buildings at a later time would have likely led to a much higher fee as dump fees and environmental remediation costs continue to rise.

The demolition discussion was part of a larger conversation about how the City can avoid being put in this situation in the future.

The Council already passed an At-Risk Property Registration Ordinance in February 2024, but members are discussing ways to be even more proactive.