Downtown Building's Demolition Set for Monday Morning

All the city permits are in order, so the demolition of the long-closed office building at the corner of Redwood Boulevard and Grant Avenue in Novato’s Old Town will be chewed up and spat out by heavy equipment Monday morning.

Steven Leonard, a member of the board of directors, said the dismantling will start onat about 7:30 a.m. by a team from Devcon Construction so that the bank can start constructing its new headquarters on the site. Protective fencing was erected around the building early last week.

The 9,000-square-foot building, constructed in 1968, housed a number of businesses before the last one bailed in 1999. In the past year, Novato Fire District and Marin County Urban Search and Rescue teams have conducted training exercises inside and squatters have broken in and slept there. (See the attached video for a view inside.)

Circle Bank, which to celebrate the impending demolition,  completed the purchase of the building on the most prominent intersection in Old Town Novato about one year ago. The bank had hoped to start demolition in March, but obtaining the permits , bank officials said.

The land on the southeast corner of the junction will be cleared of all debris and the new building will extend all the way to the sidewalk rather than having a 30-foot setback like the old building has.

The previous owner of 999 Grant, Catlin Properties, declared bankruptcy in 2009. Circle Bank bought it, tweaked the architectural plans and made a deal to acquire the right-of-way property between the sidewalk and the edge of the building.

Circle Bank plans to build a 20,000-square-foot multiuse building that will include retail and restaurant space right off the sidewalk and the bank's corporate headquarters on the second story. The bank will only have to move its corporate office personnel and gear about a half mile from its .

The city’s Design Review Commission approved the project in September 2008 and two months later the Planning Commission denied a project appeal from Novato resident Gail Meyers, a decision upheld by the Novato City Council in April 2010 as Circle Bank moved ahead with its plans.

On Tuesday, the council will consider authorizing the city to make a $353,300 improvement agreement with Circle Bank and accept the donation of six public parking spaces for the at 909 Machin Ave. if the improvement agreement is made. There will be no net cost to the city if the deal is made. The council meeting is to start at 6:30 p.m. at .