CROOKSTON -- With one obstacle hurdled and another looming, the Polk County Board of Commissioners on Monday awarded a contract to demolish the Wayne Hotel in downtown Crookston.
Industrial Builders of Fargo was granted the job with a bid of $340,000. That came after the firm agreed to meet Minnesota Department of Health concerns regarding asbestos removal.
But the demolition could be delayed by a court action. An injunction, citing the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Health Act, is being sought in District Court that would require an environmental assessment be done. The hearing is set for 11 a.m. Thursday at the Polk County Justice Center.
If granted, the requirement will add expense to the project and could result in the need for a rebid, according to Board President Warren Strandell.
"If the judge doesn't issue the injunction, we're going ahead with it fairly quickly because there's some urgency," Strandell said. "With the time needed by the contractor to mobilize, it could take eight to 10 days to get started."
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The injunction is being sought by the local Prairie Skyline Preservation Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, non-profit groups that seek to restore historical buildings.
