News Council demands action on historic Seed House building; sets May 1 deadline

The historic seed house at the corner of First Avenue and Second Street just across the street from the new celebration park is a historic reminder of Vinton’s agricultural history.

It’s also an eyesore that has exhausted the patience of city leaders.

The City Council asked owner Joe Schott to give them an update on the progress of the repairs on the building, and were not pleased with his answers.

Well over a year ago, the city gave Schott a deadline for fixing the building, which had been damaged in both the flood of 2008 and the wind storm of 2011. At that time part of the roof was missing.

Schott responded by hiring a contractor to fix the roof. The beams were replaced and the roof was covered with plywood and shark skin roofing material, but not with shingles.

Also, many of the windows in the building remain broken, or boarded up.

For the past year, the building has not undergone any exterior changes. Broken windows are visible on all sides, and the roof remains unshingled.

Schott, who bought the building in 2004 and hopes to turn it into a bicycle shop, told the council he has been working inside the building, taking apart interior walls and salvaging lumber.

“The progress is not visible because we are doing the majority of stuff inside,” said Schott.

One problem, said the owner, is that the building is too full of things to allow him easy access to the windows, which he said he must place from inside.

Although Schott told the council he has a plan in his mind for the building, they were not satisfied with what they see from outside the building.

Finding materials has also been a cause of delay, Schott explained.

Council member Dave Redlinger told Schott that he understands that the building is his project, and his dream. But, he told Schott that the only way to get the project finished correctly is to hire a contractor who can work full-time and follow city building codes.

“We have been extraordinarily patient, but now our patience is very thin,” Redlinger told Schoot. “Nobody wants to take away your dream, but now its time for us to set a hard deadline. I would love to see you turn it into a beautiful bicycle shop but progress isn’t happening.”

Leaders told Schott they are only concerned with the exterior of the building, particularly the roof and windows. Once the building is weatherproof, he can take as long as he wants to renovate the interior.

Council member Bud Maynard also urged Schott to hire a contractor.

“The scope of work is beyond comprehension” he said. “The only way this will happen happen is if you pay money for people to do it – people who are dedicated to doing it 40 hours per week.”

While commending Schott and his family for trying to do the work themselves, Maynard said he can’t see how it’s humanly possible for one man and his wife and son to do.

Mayor John Watson told Schott that at the beginning, people believed he was making a valid effort, then asked when he started.

“I don’t remember for sure,” Schott replied.

“Maybe that is one more sign that we have waited way too long,” said Mayor Watson.

In 2012, Schott receiveda $38,500 grant from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs to help cover the estimated $68,000 cost of fixing the roof.

At one time, local workers produced as many as three million cans of food from the facility, which was connected to some of the most famous names in Vinton history. In recent decades, it had been a storage facility for Ideal Industries. The Schotts bought it nine years ago.

After discussing the state ordinance regarding building nuisances, the council unanimously voted to set a hard deadline of May 1, 2014. If Schott does not have the exterior of the building repaired properly by then, the city will begin condemnation proceedings.

“We want you to succeed. We really do,” Redlinger told Schott.

See a story about the building's history HERE.