Unsafe conditions lead to approval for demolition of the Truman Hotel in Jefferson City

JEFFERSON CITY — After sitting unused for nearly a decade, the old Truman Hotel in Jefferson City is slated for demolition.

On Tuesday evening, the Jefferson City Historic Preservation Commission unanimously approved the demolition review application for the Truman Hotel submitted by the building’s owner, Vivek Puri.

Dave Helmick, home inspection manager for Jefferson City, toured the building with Jefferson City police and firefighters a little more than a year ago.

He says it is not socially responsible to leave it in its current state.

“As we walked further into the structure, we noticed large accumulations of rubbish, rubble and construction debris. It would be an unsafe situation if a first responder had to enter the building, especially at night,” Helmick explained.

Even now that the building is dangerous and boarded up to keep people out, Helmick said another problem the city has faced during the hotel’s vacancy is squatters entering the building to use it as a place to stay.

“While we were there we came across signs of campfires, sleeping bags, food waste, human waste and all kinds of other signs of illegal activities and violations, and of people squatting in some units.

Helmick says that while many are happy to see the hotel come down, it is often labeled an eyesore for visitors coming to Jefferson City. He says the building’s deteriorating condition also helps keep residents and first responders in the city safe.

“Even though it has been a dazzling phenomenon for years, it has not yet reached the level of dangerous. That’s dangerous. If we really get involved and really try to motivate owners to correct the dangerous conditions in that way, we can take the danger out of the community.

Helmick says because it is a private demolition, no action is needed from the City Council.

He says the next step before the hotel’s demolition is for Puri to finalize the demolition contract already submitted to the city and then disconnect the building’s utility lines.