During the last city council meeting of the year Monday evening, Dunbar City Council voted to move forward with measures to boost the city's appearance and address safety.
Council members acted to accept a donation of the property at 159 Fourth Street.
"The house is going to cost too much to fix," Dunbar Mayor Terry Greenlee said. "So the owners are donating it to the city and we will tear it down."
The house, which has been vacant for several years, is caving in on itself. The city plans to put the lot up for sale.
The legal process the city has to go through to address problem properties can be lengthy but the city is making strides in cleaning up similar properties, Greenlee said.
"We have torn down more structures in the last three and half years than has been in a very long time," Greenlee said.
This new property will be the third torn down within 60 days. The city doesn't plan to slow its work on troubled properties in the future, Greenlee said.
"If we don't look good as a city, we won't bring any businesses or new people in [to the city]," Greenlee said. "We are trying very hard to make the city look inviting."
Council also voted to move the city's streetscape program forward. Phase Five will concentrate on the sidewalks and stairs around City Hall, once the federal funding to complete the project is received.
"We just finished Phase One," Greenlee said. "The government wheels move slow."
Greenlee estimates it will be several years before the city begins Phase Five of the project. He expects construction on Phase Two - the Dunbar Avenue 10th Street to 16th Street project area - to start spring 2017.
Also Monday, council voted to accept a bid from Ed's Home and Commercial Improvements to repair the recreational building's roof.
The repairs will cost around $22,000 and the work is set to begin within five days of confirming the contract. Water is leaking into an electrical box in the building.
Greenlee called the situation an emergency, saying council had to act now.
"We do not want the place to burn down or anyone to get electrocuted," Greenlee said.
Council heard from Fire Chief Butch Ellis on the city's progress to secure thermal-imaging equipped masks. The chief views the masks - which run about $1,400 per mask - as invaluable tools for his crew and hopes to have masks for each truck in the future.
"The mask gives you eyes in the dark," he said. "You can find victims, you can find the source of heat and hot spots in the house," Ellis said.
The city currently has one mask purchased with a grant from Bayer. It will purchase three more in several weeks once money arrives from a Kanawha County safety grant.
In other news, council approved Dec. 5 meeting minutes.