Due to safety concerns, Fort Wright City Council voted to demolish the city’s vacant civic club. The vote declared an emergency to expedite demolition.
The city acquired the Fort Wright Civic Club property at 15 Kennedy Road in September 2023, and the building has not operated as a Civic Club since then. Kenton County had been using the building as a polling location before the most recent election.
Environmental science, engineering and consulting firm Verdantas assessed the property for accessibility and functionality in the summer of 2024. They found black mold, issues with the HVAC and electrical systems, a threat of roof collapse and more.
Since Verdantas presented the results of their assessment, Kenton County stopped using the building as a polling location.
City council has been discussing how they should repurpose the Fort Wright Civic Club property for over a year now. They have come to the conclusion that in order to make the best use of it, they need to demolish the building.
“The best thing we can do is to tear the building down while we figure out what to do next,” Fort Wright Mayor Dave Hatter said.
Council members have spoken about wanting to preserve the club’s historic and community value for generations to come, even if they can’t save the building.
“We will want to save the cornerstone or something,” Hatter said. “The Fort Wright Civic Club led us to where we are today. Many of the city’s founders were members.”
The council voted unanimously at a meeting Wednesday to declare an emergency and proceed with the demolition. Council member Margie Witt asked about the demolition timeline.
“We’re trying to expedite it, but we don’t currently have a timeline,” City Administrator Jill Cain Bailey said.