SALISBURY — Rowan County has issued a request for qualifications for the abatement and demolition of several buildings in the county, including the old cinema on the West End Plaza property.

The request was issued on Thursday and submissions will be accepted until 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 21. The county is asking for contractors that can perform abatement for conditions of a home located at 1540 Stonewood Drive as well as demolition of two homes, located at 265 Duke Drive and 695 Sloan Road, and the theater.

The county authorized the demolition of the cinema located on the old Salisbury mall property during the Jan. 2 meeting, citing the age and condition of the building.

The county held a nuisance abatement hearing on the Stonewood Drive home on Jan. 14 after neighbors submitted a complaint about the home’s “blighted condition.” The bid asks for a contractor to clean out all debris, such as furniture and trash, from the first floor of the home as well as boarding all possible entries into the building. The contract also asks for the contractor to clean the exterior and remove overgrown vegetation.

The home on Duke Drive was condemned because it was not brought up to minimum housing standards after being damaged in a deadly fire in January of 2023. The building on Sloan Road is located on the edge of the Sloan Park property and is owned by the county. 

All three of the buildings slated for demolition must be leveled by the contractor to existing or fine grade and hazardous materials, electronics and appliances should be disposed of responsibly. The contractor will also be expected to clean any septic tanks and fill them as well as close or abandon any wells on the properties.

The request states that all demolition and debris removal is required to happen between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday. It also notes that the county is currently having the cinema building surveyed for asbestos and that if any is found in any of the buildings it is the responsibility of the contractor or a sub-contractor to have it removed prior to demolition. If asbestos is found by the survey, that information will be provided at the pre-bid meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday.

Any contractor who has questions is asked to attend the pre-bid meeting or submit written questions by 5 p.m. on March 8. Submissions must be sealed and delivered or mailed to Rowan County Purchasing Department at 130 West Innes Street, Suite 31 by the deadline on March 21.