A group formed a year ago to tackle structural blight in North Tonawanda met to discuss the demolition of three vacant properties Wednesday, among other issues.

The former “Mirror Room” restaurant on 728 Oliver St., a vacant apartment building at 31 Felton St. and what was once a single-family home at 236 Schenck St. have been identified by the Property Maintenance Task Force for demolition.

They’ve since been pulled from an auction scheduled for April 25 including scores of other properties currently in tax foreclosure.

One of the three, however, the former Oliver Street restaurant, was deemed “structurally sound” recently by City Engineer Dale Marshall and Building Inspector Cosimo Capozzi.

“I did want all three torn down ... but after the meeting yesterday, I said I don’t know,” Mayor Larry Soos said of the department heads’ findings. He added that sentiment would depend on getting the right person on board to fix up the place. Soos formed the task force a year ago after attending a mayoral conference in Albany.

Capozzi at one point stated the upstairs apartment would be worthy of tenants immediately. Property Task Force Chairman Dave Conti said he had to wear hip waders in the building’s basement on one occasion.

There’s also the need to conduct asbestos testing, and the pricetag conservatively to knock it down is about $35,000. City attorney Shawn Nickerson, also on the committee, said that figure could increase. Marshall and Capozzi also say restricted parking could be addressed, he said, by moving the sidewalk.

Bids still must be awarded for dismantling water and sewer connections, asbestos testing and the demolition itself at all three locations.

A sign hanging in the former bar’s front window for about two weeks reading “Buzzy’s room coming soon” has been the source of many a laugh among officials recently and is apparently a hoax.

Conti didn’t like the sound of sparing the Oliver Street building.

“I just don’t think it’s economically feasible. I’m still completely in favor of all three of these going,” he said.

Also, the Common Council has tentatively resolved not to accept a $500 offer for one of the homes.

Members are discussing whether or not to add guidelines for bidders on some of the other auction properties, two of which may need to be brought up to code.

The committee was pleased with news that six or eight homes eligible for grants to make improvements made available by the task force last year have fixed up their homes without even using the funds.

“This is one of the nice offshoots that you get from a program like this, some of them just happen,” Conti said.

Also discussed was the search for three plumbers to be on call alternately for emergency water shut-offs due to leaks. The Common Council several weeks ago passed an initiative allowing the city to shut off services without approval, in a move intended to save the city thousands of dollars in wasted water after a leak.

Capozzi also spearheaded a discussion on ways housing court could be given more teeth in light of lingering cases to address code violations. He feels there’s not enough incentive for homeowners to fix the problems once they’re in court.

Of all that was discussed, Conti drew the session to a close by saying he thinks the task force needs more residents as members. Soos said what was once perhaps a dozen or so “regular citizens” has dwindled. City officials now dominate the meetings, held the third Wednesday of each month at the North Tonawanda Public Library.

“(What about) sentencing housing court violators to sit in on one of these meetings?” Nickerson said, only half joking, drawing approval by many.

The public in encouraged to attend.

Contact reporter Neale Gulleyat 693-1000, ext. 114.