Clarkesville begins cleanup of fire-damaged downtown

CLARKESVILLE - It took more than nine months to get everything in place, but the City of Clarkesville is beginning the process of cleaning up its downtown after a catastrophic 2014 fire.

"We're very excited," City Manager Barbara Kesler said recently. "This is the cleanup and stabilization of the buildings."

Work began this week, and will continue between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until mid-March.

The scope of the work includes cleanup of burned buildings, removal of awnings and removal of porches on the east side of the Clarkesville Square.

"What this is going to allow us to do is to remove the murals and open the entire sidewalk back up," Kesler said. "The porches are also going to be removed from the former Natalie Jane's building and the Parkers' building, so really that sidewalk is going to be more clear than it's been...."

Removal of the wooden porches will help the city get back to a more original appearance on the east side of the Square.

"They were certainly not original to those buildings, so really it's the first step into getting the buildings back to their original, historically-accurate facade. making sure that they're stabilized, and then once that's done, making a decision as to how we're going to go forward with the redevelopment of the buildings," Kesler said.

Blake Rainwater and Associates has been contracted by the city to perform the work.

City leaders say small Bobcat-style excavators will be the largest equipment used, with no bulldozers or other large earth-moving equipment involved.

Dumpsters will be located in the city parking lot in front of the four buildings for about a month, and there also may be dumpsters behind those buildings.

More:
Clarkesville begins cleanup of fire-damaged downtown