A structural engineer has deemed the downtown Newell building at 118 S. Fulton St. “structurally uninhabitable” following a partial collapse last Tuesday, July 29, prompting city officials to red-tag the property and initiate a 90-day timeline for action, says Newell Fire Chief Bruce Erie.
The engineer, from KC Engineering, P.C. in Sioux City, recommended partial demolition of the northern collapsed section. The fate of the adjoining middle unit remains uncertain, though the Corner Cup & Cone—located at the south end of the interconnected unit—was cleared to re-open last Friday, Aug. 1.
The building that partially collapsed houses an apartment situated above a vacant storage space. The area remains cordoned off.
Chief Erie expressed gratitude to local agencies for their coordinated response. Eleven Newell firefighters responded to the collapse and were joined by the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa DOT, Buena Vista County Secondary Road Department, and American Red Cross.
