By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – A burned, abandoned house along one of Alabaster’s major corridors soon will be torn down, as the City Council recently voted to approve its demolition.

During their Feb. 12 meeting, the council voted unanimously to move forward with tearing down a structure at 574 Simmsville Road. The vote came after a public hearing on the matter, during which nobody spoke for or against the demolition.

The home, which fronts Shelby County 11 across from Mount Olive Baptist Church, was heavily damaged by fire several months ago, was declared a total loss and has been vacant since the fire.

During a recent meeting, the Housing Abatement Board recommended the structure be torn down after the property owners did not comply with requests to demolish the structure themselves. The Housing Abatement Board passed its recommendation on to the City Council.

Ward 1 Councilwoman Sophie Martin previously said the property owner does not live in the area.

Since the City Council voted to accept the Housing Abatement Board’s recommendation, the city will cover the cost of tearing down the structure, and will then place the cost as a lien against the property. The lien, which the council will vote on after the demolition is completed, must be repaid before the property can be sold in the future.