I.F. Historic Building Will Be Demolished

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Story Published: Jul 22, 2008 at 5:30 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 11:33 PM MST

By Araksya Karapetyan

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IDAHO FALLS- The city council has made its decision to demolish Nick's Trading Company.
But the Historic Preservation Commission adamantly wants to preserve it.
As of right now Nick's Trading Company will be demolished and turned into a parking lot.
The city council has gone back and forth on this, but they just don't have the budget to fix up the place.
On top of its deteriorating condition, this winter, the roof collapsed.
The Historic Preservation Commission knows that, but to them its worth the effort.

It's a building many don't pay much attention to.
But it's been here since 1937.
It started out as a car dealership and later became Nick's Trading Company, a pawn shop.
But for the past 2 years it's been sitting here... vacant...waiting for something.

Ida Hardcastle, city council: "It came down to this. We had to do something. Either tear it down or refurbish it."

That's where the problem comes in.

Hardcastle: "We did check the cost of building an office, it would have been an excess of a million dollars."

A million dollars the city doesn't have.
So now all this, will become a parking lot.

Shirley Chastain, Executive Director, I.F. Historic Preservation Commission: "Parking is important but I'd hate to see another hole in our downtown."

Roxane Mitro, I.F. Historic Preservation Commission: "We can't asphalt everything in downtown otherwise we don't have an Idaho Falls."

And that's the argument the Historic Preservation Commission is sticking to.

Mitro: "I hate to see we're knocking down these building because they're our past."

The past that can't be replaced.

Chastain: "It still has stained glass, facade decorative brick work, craftsmanship, things you can't duplicate or replicate anymore."

But the beauty beneath, needs a lot of work.

Mitro: "Just to moth ball it, which is to correct the roof and fix the roof system we figure a quarter million, two hundred fifty thousand dollars."

That's a lot of money.
That and immediate use played key factors in the council's decision.

Hardcastle: "I didn't have one person come and say to me save the building on the contrary it has several come say get rid of the building."

Mitro: "Hate to see part of our past gone."

Demolitions will start the beginning of August.
The city is paying about 75 thousand dollars for that.
And the parking lot will cost, one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.

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