An injunction was filed against the City of Chandler over the demolition of the St. Cloud buildings on May 5, according to a court filing. A temporary restraining hearing will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 16, overseen by Judge Joseph Dobry.
The injunction was filed on behalf of John Givens, listed in the documents as the owner of 1214 Manvel, by his legal representation, Zachary Privott. The Petition for Injuction stated that the City of Chandler forbade Givens from making repairs or changes to the St. Cloud Hotel since the City Council voted to demolish 1214 and 1216 at a public hearing on April 8.
It also said that an engineering inspection commissioned by Givens showed that the hotel required repairs, “but overall the support structure is in good condition” and was not a danger to public safety, health or welfare. The demolition was scheduled to take place on or around May 7, the filing said, while Oklahoma state law allows for 30 days to appeal the order.
The engineering report, dated April 18, included in the filing, was done by Shannon Tarkington of Tark Engineering and addressed to Larry Braswell, listed as the owner of 1216 Manvel. The inspection was conducted on 1216 and stated that the structure was in good condition despite the roof hanging off the back from a wind event that the engineer referred to as a “microburst or small tornado.”
It continued that an “acceptable solution” would be to repair the original roof to cover the poor condition and prevent water infiltration, and replace the retrofit. The engineer also recommended repairs to the second floor sheathing, adding concrete inside of the current basement west wall or packing dirt around the center concrete columns and footings packed in 8’’ lifts, among other suggestions.
The Chandler City Council held two public hearings on the St. Cloud on March 25 and April 8, regarding the damage caused when the metal roof blew off 1216 on March 19. The incident is believed to have caused a power outage in half of Chandler and disrupted COTC’s fiber optic service. Currently, the roof is still resting on a powerline pole where OG&E and COTC had lines. It also damaged the roof of the adjoining Lincoln County Animal Hospital, which has been deemed unsafe until the St. Cloud is demolished or repaired.
At both hearings, Code Enforcement Officer Scott Wintz presented on the deterioration and decay in 1216 and damage caused by the wind event. He was joined by Rick Forrest, principal engineer from KFC Engineering, who was involved in the inspection done on behalf of the City on March 21.
Forrest concluded that unless extensive remediation is designed and sealed by engineers, the buildings should be demolished, adding that they are not safe for occupancy and put the adjoining buildings at risk.
Official documents dating back to the 1980s note the poor condition of the buildings. An evaluation dated April 15, 1984, for the National Register of Historic Buildings referenced the former hotel’s “severely deteriorated condition.”