'Full speed ahead'
<p>Matt Knoblich, a lineman with Fatbeam, works on moving fiber optic lines to a new utility pole near the intersection of Greensferry Road and Seltice Way as part of the Greensferry overpass project on Tuesday. First District Judge John Mitchell has ruled that the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency should pay an interim amount of $307,000 for the Richards family property near the area, allowing the right of way for work to continue on the project.</p>
POST FALLS - The Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency has acquired the last piece of property required for the Greensferry overpass construction to continue south of Interstate 90.
First District Judge John Mitchell ruled that the agency pay the estate of Mary Richards $307,000 for the family's 1,100-square-foot home and acre of land along Greensferry Road as an interim amount for appraised fair market value.
The eminent domain ruling allows utility relocation work for the $15 million overpass to continue south of the freeway and allows a daughter of Richards to stay at the home as long as 30 days. The final amount for the property will be negotiated later between the agency and Richards family or be determined by a jury trial, but the interim amount is expected to be close since a second appraisal was $345,384.
"Now that we have access to the Richards property, we can continue the utility work," said Tom Lien, URA executive director. "We will not impact the occupant other than four or five days of digging trenches. The contractor will work with her on the timing of that. Now we can go forward full speed ahead on all construction. This was our last hurdle as far as anything holding up construction."
Work proceeded on other areas of the overpass while the Richards matter remained unsettled.
Charles Richards, one of Mary's children, declined to comment on the ruling.
Lien said by the URA acquiring the Richards property, the project should finish this fall as originally planned.
Lien said the URA's original appraisal for the property was $308,000 and the Richards family countered at $900,000. The family requested a second appraisal, for which the agency paid $4,000. Lien said the family then countered again at $600,000.
Lien said the URA has done its part to strike a delicate balance between being sensitive to the family and clearing the way for construction on the taxpayer-funded project to continue. In addition to paying for a second appraisal, the agency paid an attorney $4,024 to assist the family in establishing a trust for Mary Richards, he said.
Mary Richards, who was living at the home with her caregiver daughter, died earlier this year. The 1940s-era home was formerly a medical building at the Farragut Naval Station near Athol. Mary Richards lived in the home since 1972. Her late husband, Jack, operated Jack's Volkswagen Repair on the property before Interstate 90 was built and there were just fields in the vicinity.
An idea to move the home to retain it for its historical value rather than demolish it was earlier floated. However, the idea doesn't have legs, Lien said.
"This is a contractor decision, but based on discussions it would be too difficult of a task to coordinate in a short period of time," he said. "We do not anticipate the house being moved."
The URA in February reached a $1.65 million settlement with Santorini, LLC, which owned the River City Dentistry building, on the other property purchase needed to construct the overpass on the south side of the freeway. The building was later demolished.
Lien said the URA is still working on right of way acquisition on the north side of the freeway with the Coeur d'Alene RV Park, but that matter will not hold up any construction.
Construction on the overpass - which is being built to improve connectivity, traffic mobility and emergency response between the business districts and residential areas north and south of the interstate - began in December. When completed, the structure will feature two lanes in each direction, bicycle lanes and sidewalks on both sides.