Time Running Out for Riedhammer and Buxton’s Former Hardware Store

The Buxton City Council convened for a show cause hearing Wednesday evening to discuss the future of the property at 307 Broadway, currently owned by Riedhammer Masonry, LLC.

Discussions have gone on now for nearly a year regarding the state of the former hardware store, which, according to the city, is deemed dangerous, unmaintained, and a nuisance. Riedhammer confirmed with the city that no considerable improvements have been made to the property since last fall. 

Riedhammer claims that the property’s main building was at its worst before he bought it, and that he’s made it safer, saying they have been, “doing what we could with the available funding we had”.

Riedhammer cited cash flow issues as the reason why no considerable progress has been made, and feels the property can still be salvaged. He feels that the city has been unfair, saying they are, “bullying an out of town contractor”.

The property’s neighbor, Kirk Waslien, owner of Waslien Electric, gave the lone public input, saying that kids were playing around the former hardware store, and that he found it hard to maintain his own property due to the state of Riedhammer’s property.

Buxton Mayor, Travis Soderberg, says that he’s pleased that Riedhammer appeared at the hearing to voice his concerns and that the city still hopes Riedhammer can clean up the property and make good use of the space. City Attorney, Cassie Tostenson of Nilson Brand Law, who was present at the hearing, will offer recommendations on further action at the city’s June meeting. The city granted Riedhammer an extension on making noticeable improvements by that June meeting to halt the condemnation process.