Sedalia Seeks Bids for Demolition of 207 & 209 West Main
The City of Sedalia has confirmed that property owners Dana Melton and Travis Dixon, through their attorney Steve Fritz, submitted a proposed settlement agreement on August 26, 2025, regarding 207 West Main Street. Their proposal asked the City to hire and pay demolition contractors, reimburse the owners for engineering and attorney fees, allow the owner’s private engineer to oversee the work on site, and after demolition, backfill the lot to prepare it for future construction, among other conditions.
After careful review, the City declined the proposal, stating that the owners have had many opportunities over the years to make needed repairs but failed to do so. City officials said the proposal would have shifted responsibility onto the City and required public resources to improve a privately owned property.
Melton and Dixon have since appealed. They are asking the Sedalia Board of Appeals, which meets on Wednesday, October 8, to review the City’s “Dangerous Building” notice and demolition order issued by Building Official Bryan Kopp. They are also requesting a stop order to pause any demolition while their evidence is considered.
The owners point to a report by engineer Barney Schwabauer, who inspected the buildings on August 13, 2025. He concluded that both 207 and 209 West Main could be saved and are not at immediate risk of collapse, as City Engineer Frank Comer has found. Schwabauer’s report, which the owners submitted with their appeal, also raises claims that the City damaged the building’s foundation during sidewalk work in 2022. The owners argue that the front wall of 207 West Main is a “false front” and not a main support wall. In their filing, they called Comer’s domino effect collapse theory “ludicrous,” saying it exaggerated the risks to nearby buildings.
City engineers and outside consultants disagree, citing repeated cases of falling debris, visible cracks, and the overall instability of the structures as evidence that the danger is real. Officials stress that public safety is the top priority and that demolition is being pursued only after years of inaction by the property owners.
To move forward safely, the City has obtained a structural demolition plan prepared by outside engineers. The plan calls for a careful, surgical demolition of 207 and 209 West Main Street only, with extensive safeguards to protect the adjoining property at 211 West Main and the rest of the historic block. Contractors will be required to hand-remove certain portions of the buildings, install reinforcements, and conduct asbestos remediation. Work will also include back filling basements and rebuilding exposed parapet walls to stabilize the remaining structures. City officials emphasized that every effort is being made to ensure no damage comes to the surrounding buildings.
The bidding process for demolition will open on Tuesday, September 23. Bids must be submitted to the City Clerk’s office by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, when they will be publicly opened in Council Chambers. Contractors with questions are encouraged to contact Chief Building Official Bryan Kopp before the deadline.
Following the appeals process, the City Council is expected to review the bids and may vote to award a contract at its regular meeting on Monday, November 3.
For now, West Main Street near the buildings will remain closed for public safety. The City has stressed that while demolition is necessary, the goal is preservation wherever possible. Only 207 and 209 West Main will be taken down, and surrounding structures will be reinforced and protected throughout the process.
Although the project timeline has been delayed by legal and appeals processes, the City is prepared to move forward under a carefully engineered plan designed to protect nearby buildings and the public. Further updates will be announced once a contractor is selected and a final timeline is set.