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Old cotton mill coming down slowly, but surely

By MISTY MAYNARD, Staff Writer

Friday, October 19, 2007 11:09 PM EDT

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Demolition of the five buildings that comprised the January and Wood Cotton Mill has progressed and only one building remains.

Demolition has been ongoing since 2006 when Jeff Schumacher and Kelly Bradford jointly purchased the property. It was sold to Jerry Lundergan early this year, and Lundergan said he has had crews "working pretty diligently" on the demolition.

When it comes to demolishing such a large structure, and one that had asbestos present in it, there is a set procedure, permits that have to be obtained and regulations to follow.

Demolition on the property was halted briefly in 2006 while still under Schumacher and Bradford's ownership after an inspection by the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet noted that "asbestos containing material had been disturbed," according to previous information from Mark York, a representative for the cabinet.

York said then a contractor contacted the cabinet after he found the disturbed material and the cabinet explained it should have been notified before work began. The notice of violation issued was a written notice of noncompliance, but did not penalize the owners.

Asbestos abatement had to be completed on the site, which is now "clean" of the material.

Debris from the January and Wood Cotton Mill is visible along the Ohio River, west of Maysville. The material is being used for fill. -- Marla Toncray/Staff

Any material containing asbestos had to be disposed of at the Maysville-Mason County Landfill and, according to landfill Manager Bob DeVoe, has been.

"All environmental cleanup was done according to the rules and regulations," said Lundergan, who said anything contaminated with asbestos had to be removed by someone licensed to remove it.

The rest of the material is disposed of according to type.

According to Lundergan, debris such as steel or other scrap metal has been sold to scrap yards.

Brick debris has been sold or given away to individuals, and wood is disposed at the landfill or other sites.

One site where the debris has been dumped is a short distance from the old cotton mill. The site is just off Kentucky 8 and is owned by Johnny Paul Bivens, who is building a dock.

Bivens said since the material is asbestos-free, it is permitted as backfill material for the dock.

"We're allowed to put any good, solid material in," he said.

The Army Corps of Engineers has issued Bivens a permit for the dock and for the type of material being used as backfill.

Sitting on Bivens' property are several piles of the debris, sorted according to type. Like Lundergan, Bivens said the debris is sorted in order to put only solid material behind the wall out there as backfill. Wood and metal are excluded from that backfill.

Bivens said he has spoken with the city about the material, and everything was addressed properly.

Lundergan said he has no set timeframe for when demolition will be complete. He said the site will be graded and topsoil laid, and he anticipates it being a "greenspace" in the area, at least for a while. He said he did not want the cotton mill to become another abandoned property that is both an eyesore and a hazard, citing Hayswood Hospital as an example of a property that is both.

Lundergan said he has some future plans for the site, but is not ready to disclose those plans.

Contact Misty Maynard at misty.maynard@lee.net or 606-564-9091, ext. 274.

Reader Comments

Comments are limited to 200 words or less.

ghost??? wrote on Oct 30, 2007 3:41 PM:

" im going in and spending the night their "

IDG wrote on Oct 21, 2007 7:26 AM:

" This is so sad and is representative of the decline of our nation's once proud industrial power. I know one of the former owners of the mill who revealed that foreign textile materials were being imported for less than they were paying for raw materials. As such, they could no longer stay in business and the government would not help. Our companies cannot compete against foreign subsudized products and the result will be disasterous for our nation. It's not only bricks and wood that are being buried in the landfills, it's jobs, prosperity and dreams for a better future that are being buried as well. God help us! "

JOHN D. SMITH wrote on Oct 20, 2007 3:24 PM:

" THE RAZED FACTORY SITE WOULD MAKE A PERFECT LOCATION FOR A HOTEL/CASINO/DOCK IF THE ELECTION SWINGS IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOCRATIC GOV. CANIDATE. STEVE BRASHEAR HAS GIVEN RIVERBOAT AND CASINO GAMBLING HIGH PRIORTY IN THIS ELECTION. JERRY LUNDERGAN IS NO FOOL! THE OLD COTTON MILL COULD PUT JERRY IN HIGH COTTON SO TO SPEAK. "

SATISFIED wrote on Oct 20, 2007 9:41 AM:

" I THINK MR. LUNDERGAN IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF GIVING MAYSVILLE A BEAUTIFUL FACELEFT. LOOK AT THE OLD TOM BROWNINGS BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB-IMAGINE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE TODAY, IF HE HADN'T REMODELED THAT.KEEP IT UP JERRY, LOOKING GRAT!!! "

Question? wrote on Oct 20, 2007 9:24 AM:

" Could this speak of impending gambling boats near by? "

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