Bloomington Parks and Recreation to Demolish Former Wee Willie’s Building

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2017

For more information, please contact:
Dave Williams, Operations and Development Director, City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, 812.349.3706 or williamd@bloomington.in.gov

Bloomington, Ind. - The former Wee Willie's restaurant building at 1724 S. Walnut St., purchased by the city in 2015, is slated for demolition in early June.

The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission at their April 17 meeting approved a contract with Roger L. Taylor Excavating and Demolition to demolish the former Wee Willie's restaurant building at 1724 S. Walnut St. as well as the house, garage and carport on property the city purchased at 717 W. Howe St. near Building Trades Park.

According to Parks and Recreation Department operations and development director Dave Williams, the city purchased the Wee Willie's property with the intention of using it for the Walnut Street entrance to the new Switchyard Park. Although construction of Switchyard Park is not scheduled to begin until 2018, Williams said the need to demolish the buildings on West Howe Street offered an opportunity to economize with two projects in close proximity.

The city will pay Taylor Excavating $27,500 to demolish and remove the structures on both pieces of property.

Williams also said the West Howe Street property is slated to be part of a Bloomington Fire Department training exercise this weekend. Bloomington Fire Department Battalion Chief Tania Daffron said firefighters will fill the structure with "fake smoke" to mimic a fire situation that allows for practice scenarios, but that the house would not actually be set on fire. Daffron also said the training exercises would be complete by May 30.

Taylor Excavating is responsible for removing the structures and all associated debris following the Fire Department's training exercise.

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