HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Concerns are increasing over a portion of the Landmark building at 5th and Main after it was discovered that brickwork is pulling away from the structure. The cracks are located on the northwest corner of the building and extend several floors up the side.

It may force the city to close the alleyway in the interest of safety. “Closing the alley creates potential problems,” City Manager John Deardoff said. “But I’m not sure the city wants to spend $30,000 to shore a building that they don’t own.” The city has had to expend funds to keep the building secure and board up windows that are constantly broken. It’s a problem that has plagued that empty building for years.

Deardoff says they won’t make any decision on the alleyway until they get a better idea of how to deal with the building. The building does fall under the international property maintenance code and numerous violations have been recorded on the structure but the owner has shown no interest in making any repairs. Deardoff says they would like to see the building stay intact hope that someone will buy it and make improvements.

A chance to sell it passed by several years ago when a group wanted to turn the building into a senior living complex. The proposal died when the group could not secure tax credits from the state. Still, the building is in pretty good shape. “We really kind of want to keep it together,” Deardoff said. “It’s still pretty structurally sound overall. That brick giving away is the same thing that’s happened at the Stevens building. They received $200,000 from the state to repoint all of that.”

Deardoff says the city doesn’t want to close the alleyway but if it becomes a safety hazard they may have no choice.