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Demolition prep work for May Apartments could start as soon as this week, city says

There's still no exact date for when the demolition could begin. The building owner or the contractor has not yet applied for a demolition permit.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Preparation to demolish the May Apartments in downtown Portland could start as early as this week, according to the Portland Bureau of Development Services (BDS).

There's still no exact date for when the demolition could begin, but the work is authorized to start as soon as possible, according to Ken Ray with BDS. 

On May 16, a large fire ripped through the 113-year-old building near Southwest 14th Avenue and Southwest Taylor Street. All residents survived, but damage to the building was extensive. Garrett Repp, a resident of the building, was charged in connection with the fire.

In an email to KGW on Monday, Ray said that the building owner or the contractor has not yet applied for a demolition permit. Ray said the contractor estimates the demolition will take six weeks to complete. 

He added that on Friday, the owners of the May Apartments notified BDS that they made final decisions regarding the demolition and treatment of "asbestos-containing material" and were working with the Oregon Department of Environmental Equality.

Since the building is unstable, Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) Maintenance Operations has blocked off Southwest 14th Avenue and Southwest Taylor Street for months due to safety concerns. Because they are both one-way streets, the closures have made it more difficult for drivers to get around the area. 

It's unlikely that the roads will reopen until the building is demolished. Ray said there could be partial road openings once the building is demolished and the contractor can bring equipment in closer to the building.

Hannah Schafer with PBOT said on Monday that the agency has not yet issued any temporary street use permits for the property. The agency is waiting on permits to be in place before they lift their closures.

After the fire, Portland General Electric shut off the traffic signal near Southwest 13th Avenue and Southwest Taylor Street. That traffic signal is still turned off.

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