The Cherry Apartment building at 342 West State will sit as a shell until the city can get clearance to have it torn down.
Outgoing Jacksonville city attorney Dan Beard says the building is owned by an out of state corporation from Colorado.
Beard says the city is now going through the legal steps to determine how it will proceed.
The city must first file an order with the courts, while still talking to the owners of the building.
Beard says the city can’t go forward at all until it gets direction from the courts.
Demolition of the building may cost up to a half a million dollars.
There has been no money set aside by the city for the demolition. It would be an off budget very expensive item.
Beard will step down as city attorney February 15th. He was first appointed by then mayor Ron Tendick, and stayed on with the election of Andy Ezard as mayor.
Jeff Soltermann, who has stepped in as city attorney in Beard’s absence from time to time, will be the new city attorney.