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Judge Orders Demolition of Two Buildings in Downtown Keokuk

Jason Parrott
/
TSPR
A judge has ordered the clean-up of 614 & 616 Main and the demolition of 618 & 624 Main Streets in downtown Keokuk

A judge has ordered the demolition of a former can and bottle redemption center in downtown Keokuk as well as a neighboring building along Main Street. The owner of the buildings must also clean up four other properties he owns in Keokuk.

The city issued citations in June against the buildings, which are owned by corporations registered to Brian Boyd of Burlington.

  • 614 Main
  • 616 Main
  • 618 Main
  • 624 Main
  • 707 Blondeau
  • 728 Fulton

The citations list multiple violations at each property, including failure to mow grass, failure to remove excessive junk and trash from yards, and lack of utilities.
A judge ordered Boyd to appear at a hearing to answer the charges but Boyd failed to appear, prompting a ruling in favor of the city of Keokuk.

As part of the ruling, Boyd was ordered to tear down what remains of the redemption center at 624 Main and the building at 618 Main. The redemption center was destroyed by fire in May 2015.

The city installed a mural to hide the giant pile of debris that remained.

Boyd was fined about $2,500, ordered to repay the city more than $6,000 for past nuisances, and he was told to clean up and secure the four remaining buildings, two of which are commercial and two which are residential.

The city told Tri States Public Radio that it will continue to seek legal action against Boyd until the buildings are properly addressed  per the court orders.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.