News
A portion of Nelsonville’s public square remains closed after the partial collapse of a building
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A portion of the Nelsonville public square is closed and barricaded to vehicle and pedestrian traffic because of the partial collapse of a building.
A structural engineer issued an emergency opinion that The Mine Tavern is structurally unsafe after it partially collapsed on Sunday. Its condition also jeopardizes the safety of the Dew House on one side and Rhapsody restaurant on the other, according to news releases from the city of Nelsonville.
The engineer released his final report Monday afternoon, in which he concluded the building “represents an immediate and significant collapse hazard.” The greatest damage is to the north wall, part of which collapsed and what remains is leaning. “Further collapse of this wall is considered likely,” Matthew Derwacter, an engineer with Derwacter and Associates, a structural engineering firm in Zanesville, wrote in his report.
Portions of the second-floor framing are now unsupported because of the partial collapse and outward shift of the north wall, according to the report. “Noticeable sagging and deflection were observed under minimal loading conditions, indicating a substantial loss of structural support,” Derwacter wrote.
Derwacter recommends that Rhapsody and the Dew House remain closed, along with the sidewalk and street in front of The Mine Tavern “until the hazard is mitigated.”
“Immediate action should be taken to either shore and stabilize the structure or proceed with controlled demolition,” Derwacter wrote.
Firefighters were called to The Mine Tavern Sunday morning after an approximately 6-foot section of brick wall extending from the ground to the roof collapsed.
Fire crews initially closed off the entire square as they evaluated the threat.
The Dew House, a historic hotel that now serves as housing for the elderly and people with disabilities, was evacuated. The residents were being sheltered temporarily at Stuart’s Opera House.
The city is working with the Athens County Emergency Management Agency, the Red Cross and the Athens County Metropolitan Housing Authority to secure housing for the residents until the area can be made safe.
A post Sunday on The Mine Tavern’s Facebook page said: “There are NO plans of closing down” as the restaurant’s owners work with emergency personnel and insurance to see how to move forward. “Right now we are thankful nobody was injured and things can be replaced.”
(Editor’s note: This story was updated late Monday afternoon to incorporate the findings and recommendations from the structural engineer’s final report.)