Vacant Cedar Rapids home’s owner agrees to demolition after third fire

CEDAR RAPIDS - The owner of a nuisance property that has been vacant since 2014 has agreed to have the property demolished after the third fire in two months was reported at the property.

The 'Consent to Demolish” document for the property at 1528 L St. SW, signed by owner Virginia Chavez Thursday morning, marks the beginning of the end of a property that has been the subject of numerous city agencies' efforts.

The signing of the document came after firefighters were called to the vacant, two-story family residence at 2:44 a.m. Thursday for a report of flames coming from the home. Responding units found fire coming from an enclosed back porch and the kitchen area of the residence.

The structure suffered significant damage, according to city officials.

Thursday marked the third time since October that firefighters had been dispatched to the residence. On Oct. 15, firefighters extinguished a fire that started in the living room. Twelve days later, crews knocked down a fire in the detached garage at the property.

Because the residence was vacant, but unsecured, officials have said a 'human element is likely” in all three fires. However, no official cause has been determined.

The residence was deemed a nuisance residence and shuttered by the city's SAFE-CR program in June 2014. SAFE-CR nuisance property abatement coordinator Amanda Grieder told The Gazette at the time the city had received 10 citizen complaints about the residence since October 2012. Nine times out of 10, the property was found to be in violation. according to the city. Code violations included unsanitary conditions, including garbage and dog feces; and plumbing issues, such as a sanitary-sewer pipe leaking from the ceiling and walls.

Cedar Rapids Public Safety spokesman Greg Buelow said Chavez was given several 'permission to enter” waivers, but did not fix the property or address the code violations. Buelow said several city departments, including police, fire, SAFE-CR, solid waste, streets and building services have been working to address the issues at the home. Some of the code violations are currently being addressed in court, Buelow said.

A news release from the city did not say when the home would be demolished, but that the consent to demolish would expedite that process.