Schedule mix-up causes hours-long delay of inspection of historic Troy building

TROY — An inspection that could determine the future of a highly-discussed building in downtown Troy did not go as planned Friday.

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News Center 7 was there Friday morning as representatives from the Troy Fire Department, Miami County Building Inspection, and Miami County Prosecutor’s Office, as well as lawyers for the Troy Tavern Building’s owner and lawyers of clients in the buildings on either side of the Tavern Building waited for the court-appointed inspector to arrive.

The inspection was supposed to begin at 10 a.m., but News Center 7′s John Bedell reported that the inspector failed to show up. After waiting an addition 20 minutes, the parties involved called off the inspection.

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Structural engineer Daniel Geers, of Jezerinac Geers & Associates, Inc., was appointed last month by Judge Stacy Wall to inspect the building at on W. Main Street. Bedell reported that an apparent scheduling mix-up was to blame for the missed inspection.

Hours later, around 2 p.m., Geers arrived. After inspecting the outside of the building, he and a small group of people went inside of a nearly two-hour long evaluation.

Geers will put what he found today in written report and turn it into the court. From there, Wall will make a decision based on the findings.

News Center 7 spoke to several people in Troy Friday who said they are frustrated over the ongoing legal battle regarding the building.

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“I mean, look at the road closes, all the fences up. It’s a beautiful little downtown. It really is a bruise on the city in my opinion,” Richard Boyd, of Tipp City, said.

We also spoke to Stacy Lucas, owner of Magnolia Mae Boutique which sits in the shadow of the Tavern Building. She said the road and sidewalk closures caused by the ongoing battle have impacted her business.

“It’s impacted my business hugely. The foot traffic is way down. People are avoiding coming downtown in general, not just for my business, but, you know, others, too,” Lucas said.

She said she was hopeful that Friday’s inspection will help get some answers.

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