Ask Mr. Answer Person: "Are there any plans to remove the eyesore (house) that is on the northwest corner of Highways 9 & 52?"

Leslie e-mails Mr. Answer Person: "Could you please tell me if there are any plans to remove the eyesore (house) that is on the northwest corner of Highways 9 & 52?  With the new bike trail and Decorah sign, it seems that we would want to present a better image than a house overgrown with weeds/trees/plants."

Mr. Answer Person says: "The property you're asking about is now owned by Owatonna, MInnesota businessman Brad Spitzack, who bought the house and the adjacent 20 acres of property when he was interested in building a motel on the property.  That didn't happen, so the house has been decaying ever since.

It's very unlikely that anything will be done with the house until some development goes in on the property, in which case the demolition costs would be paid by the new owner and not the present one.