A long-empty building on the Brewer waterfront was torn down today, two months after its owner sued the city in an attempt to stop the demolition.
Crews began demolition on the building at 77 South Main St. on Friday, a few months after its owner, Bruce Blackmer of Dedham, sued the city, claiming it illegally condemned the building. Blackmer said the building is safe, despite a large hole in the roof and crumbling bricks. It has been vacant for many years.
It is unclear whether the lawsuit, filed in Penobscot County Superior Court on May 16, was thrown out or settled. The Brewer city manager’s office directed questions to the city’s attorney, John Pottle, who did not return phone calls as of 5 p.m. Friday.
The city claims in court filings that employees have tried to work with Blackmer since 2018 to get him to repair the buildings, but he has not fixed the unsafe conditions. Blackmer alleged that the city has not determined the buildings are structurally unsound and has not offered to compensate him for condemning and seizing them, a violation of the Fifth Amendment.
Blackmer also owns a building at 978 Wilson St. in Brewer, which the city also condemned.
