Unitarian Church Demolition Put on Hold

While the city of Keokuk has been granted permission to demolish the Unitarian Church on 4^th street, movement on the demolition will have to continue to wait. At Thursday’s regular city council meeting, the board voted to table the decision to authorize demolition at the church which has been defunct for over 40 years. Keokuk residents Rod Tinson and David Romaine, who previously rehabilitated a historic home at 302 High street, were present Thursday to request time to raise money for the church. According to Romaine, the current owner of the church is willing to sign the property over to the two real estate re-modelers for them to fix up. Council members John Helenthal, Susan Dunek, Mike Moore, and Mike O’Connor as well as Mayor Tom Marion expressed skepticism at the proposal due to the number of other entities which have promised to fix up the dilapidated church. The board agreed to table the demolition measure until the next meeting to allow Romaine and Tinson to look into funding as well as cost estimates to rehabilitate the church.