Demolition work begins on longtime downtown Bellingham building destroyed by fire
Demolition work has started at the former Hohl Feed & Seed building on Railroad Avenue.
Whatcom-based Boss Construction was doing some preparation work on Thursday, Aug. 29, around the building that was destroyed by a fire in February. A transient man started the fire to keep warm, leading to the two-alarm blaze. Paul Jonathon Wolfe pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless burning and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
The demolition process could take some time because asbestos was found in a number of locations in the building, according to a permit filed with the Northwest Clean Air Agency.
It’s not surprising that the building, constructed in 1902, contained asbestos, said Seth Preston, communications program manager for the agency. The substance was commonly used for buildings in this region in that time period, he said.
The permit indicates a variety of equipment, including monitoring devices, will be used to ensure that the asbestos doesn’t get in the air or on workers. As long as procedures are done properly, there won’t be any issues for the general public, Preston said.
The permit issued by the city calls for complete demolition of the building, including the wall that had the “bird alley” drawings.
The demolition permit is for the Hohl Feed & Seed building. The investigation into the cause of the July 17 fire at nearby Clark Feed & Seed and Avalon Records buildings is not yet complete, according to Kurt Nabbefeld, city Development Services manager.
This story was originally published August 30, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
