Demolition of Lumber Yard in downtown Woodstock begins

The Lumber Yard in downtown Woodstock soon will be a patch of dirt after demolition of the site began Friday.

MBI Staffing began demolishing one of the site’s two buildings on Friday, a task MBI COO Kevin Newton described as “hazardous” because the building had been deteriorating for some time.

Final approval to tear down the rest of the site can come after the city’s Historical Commission gave MBI the go-ahead Monday afternoon.

The site, at 200 E. Judd St., is expected to take a total of three to four weeks to tear down, Newton said.

“It was in pretty bad shape,” Newton said.

The spot is currently owned by MBI, a company that specializes in providing technology-based staffing to other companies and that back in early August was given tentative approval by the city to begin exploring options for a new development.

On the site sits a building right up against the train tracks, which MBI started demolishing Friday. The front building, which MBI needed approval from the historic commission to tear down, acted as a warehouse and office space, Newton said.

Once torn down, Newton expects the spot to sit vacant through the winter while the company explores development options.

“We’re going to let it settle, get it flat, and then we’ll finalize what we’re going to do,” Newton said. “… We’re going to take our time to determine what we want to put in there.”

Given the spot’s history, it is zoned for manufacturing currently, Economic Development Director Garrett Anderson said. But the city staff and officials have expressed interest in changing it to a mixed-use area that could include residential and commercial.

“We’re not going to dictate that,” Anderson said.

Mayor Mike Turner agreed with Anderson on the city’s goal but hit on the quality of the project above all else.

“[The development] has to be high quality, which means it looks good and fits in with our downtown,” Turner said.

Options being pitched include a park and residential developments, Newton said. It’s expected the city will be included in the decision. Beyond needing approval, the hope is to find a project that benefits both MBI and the city as a whole.

The city and MBI haven’t had many conversations yet as to what could potentially go there, Anderson said. But the city has been on record as wanting to see the site developed into a residential spot.

“It’s a high priority site for the city to be redeveloped,” Anderson said. “Our vision has always been high-density residential.”

Getting it all torn down will also help give a picture of what could go there and what the space is capable of holding, Newton said.

“We’re wide-open on it,” Newton said. “I can’t say we’re leaning one way or the other.”

The demolition of the Lumber Yard in downtown Woodstock comes about a month after MBI formally bought the site. Following the purchase, the city approved an inducement agreement in early August, which acts as a sort of preview development deal.

The resolution specifically shows the city is interested in developing something more formal down the road.

The spot is in the middle of a tax increment financing district, or TIF, meaning MBI could be eligible for reimbursement on some costs of a future development. Any reimbursement deal would require City Council approval.

An analysis of the site will need to take place before any new construction can begin. Newton said after the demolition is complete, the spot could sit for six to nine months while plans are created.

The Lumber Yard is one of several spots downtown that could see future work. The city’s former Die Cast site has a few parties who are interested in developing that area as well, and there’s a proposal to create a city pavilion close by.