City to seek quotes to demolish The Pointe Apartments

This week, members of the Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety approved seeking quotes to demolish the residential structure at 309 Gibson Street, The Pointe Apartments.

During Monday’s meeting, City Building Commissioner Dennis Manuwal informed members that Bob Richards, the owner, has passed the 30-day deadline to begin the demolition process that the city approved after he failed to complete mandatory repairs to make the property habitable. Manuwal asked the board if they would approve him seeking bids to demolish the structure. This process would use city funds and then place a lien on the property to recover costs. Manuwal also noted that there are already other liens on the property.

The Pointe, built in 1971, is currently listed for sale at $495,000 by Collins and Company. Manuwal said the demolition order accompanies the property, so anyone interested would need to present a plan to the Board of Public Works & Safety and request a waiver of the order. 

The Board of Public Works and Safety approved Building Commissioner Manuwal to seek bids for demolishing the structure. Funding for the project isn’t included in this year’s budget, and the board wants to see what the cost would be. They might allocate additional funds if needed, but Mayor Robert Listenberger prefers to include the funds in the 2026 budget. 

Councilman Don Ecker inquired whether the owners had any communication with the city, and he was informed they had not. Ecker also asked how much longer the city will continue to address this issue, and Manuwal expressed a desire to open bids and award it at the next city meeting on August 11th.

The Board approved soliciting quotes for the demolition project, and Manuwal suggested boarding up the facility if they don’t move forward with the demo.