Drivers and pedestrians ought to take seriously the “Sidewalk Closed” signs outside of Aberdeen’s tallest building, the Becker Building, because they’re not there for show.

The signs Aberdeen placed outside the seven-story structure on the East side of South I Street, between the corner of South I and East Wishkah Streets and the alley just north of the 98-year-old Becker Building in downtown Aberdeen, are there to keep people safe. Don’t walk around the signs.

The signs have been there for a little while and according to Rick Sangder, the city’s public works director, the closure will also affect people parking in that area as well. On Tuesday, the parking closure was for “anytime.”

Terry Emmert, of Emmert Silver City LLC., owns the building. The Clackamas, Oregon-based LLC., has owned the building at 200 E. Wishkah St., since September of 2019, according to the Grays Harbor County Assessor’s Office. The building was purchased for $675,000, according to The Daily World.

Sangder explained why people should not walk past the signs.

“There is absolutely an increased danger to anyone walking on the sidewalk below,” Sangder said early this week.

According to Sangder, “the building has had some of its façade fall off.”

Yet, on Tuesday afternoon, people were still walking around the closed signs.

Failed inspection

Sangder also explained when the city got involved.

“As for the timeline, the owner’s representative was notified of the potential danger on Feb. 8 through a vacant building inspection where the issues were identified,” Sangder said. “An official notification went out to the owner on Feb. 26 from (Aberdeen) Code Enforcement as a Notice & Order to abate unsafe or unlawful conditions with an order for the unsafe condition to be secured or removed by March 26, 2024.”

The “Notice and Order to Abate Unsafe or Unlawful Conditions” letter outlines the following issues with the building.

Portions of the façade are cracked with the potential to fall on both the west and south sides of the building

Large picture window on the west side of the building is cracked with the potential to fall or to be broken further, causing it to fall from the frame

The makeshift roof structure over the entryway on the west side of the building is deteriorated, offering little if no protection from the façade that has already fallen with the potential for more to fall

“All the above issues as outlined have the potential to injure a passerby,” the letter states.

The letter, which Bill Sidor, assistant community development director, wrote, also cited Aberdeen Municipal Code 15.50.030, which refers to “Conditions for declaring a building or premises unfit for human habitation or other use.” Here’s the pertinent reason — point B — for the citation:

“Whenever any portion, member, appurtenance or ornamentation is likely to become detached, dislodged or collapse, or is not of sufficient strength or stability, or is not so anchored, attached or fastened in place so as to be capable of resisting a wind pressure of one-half of that specified in the applicable ICC Codes, for new buildings or structures or similar construction.”

The letter also included an attached vacant building inspection sheet. The building failed its inspection on Feb. 8. Here is s summary of the results found during that inspection:

“This structure has several loose and cracking pieces of façade that pose a very high risk to life, health, safety for people walking by so this needs to be addressed,” the inspection sheet states.

Here were the six points where the building failed:

Entry double doors off of I Street have rot around the casing and the bottom of the doors seem to have potential moisture damage and separation

Windows have framing rot and deterioration, which may allow moisture to infiltrate and cause further damage

The roof has leaks that from a previous inspection were detected, which is causing damage to the interior of the structure

The building has several stress cracks, which may be caused by potential settling so I recommended having the structure thoroughly inspected

I Street entrance has a makeshift scaffold to support a piece of plywood acting as a roof to protect from the deteriorating and falling down façade. This is extremely dangerous

The building has several cracks, loose and deteriorating façade that poses a severe life, health, safety risk to passersby

The letter, signed Feb. 26 — 18 days after the Feb. 8 inspection, also “serves as a written notice ordering that the above outlined issues be secured and/or removed by March 26, 2024.”

“Please be advised that failure to correct the issue by the time set forth will result with the city commencing legal action to assure compliance,” the letter also states.

According to Sangder, Emmert was given additional time because “their contractor did not have the required insurance for work within the right of way.”

“Phone contact with the owner’s representative occurred this morning to determine what progress had been made and a follow up order will be sent out this week,” Sangder said in reference to this current week. “In an effort to address the concern, the public works staff will be closing the street parking adjacent to the closed sidewalk in an effort to more thoroughly discourage people from using the sidewalk.”

Sangder also said the city and Emmert are “working toward a permit to make repairs.”

Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.

Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World The 98-year-old Becker Building — 200 E. Wishkah St., — is Aberdeen’s tallest building. At seven stories, it towers over the rest of downtown Aberdeen. The problem facing the building is it failed a vacant building inspection in February. Repairs are needed as the city sent a “Notice and Order to Abate Unsafe or Unlawful Condition” letter to the building’s owner — Emmert Silver City LLC. The LLC is owned by Terry Emmert.