Rod T sends in pics from last evening’s Trackside/5th Earl demolition…

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From Decatur City Commissioner Patti Garrett’s email blast to the community…

According to Hugh Saxon, Deputy City Manager, a permit is being issued for the demolition of the Trackside and Fifth Earl property. This work will take place starting at 8 pm on Wednesday or Thursday of this week (Sept 1-2) and will conclude by 5 am the following morning. Because East College Avenue is a state route, a GDOT permit is also required. It appears that one travel lane will be closed but temporary pedestrian access must be maintained at all times. Once the remains of the building are demolished, work will commence on a new building.

Trackside’s Facebook page is a bit more specific, stating that the demo will take place Thursday evening.

It’s getting ready to happen: the walls of Trackside are scheduled to start coming down on Thursday evening, Sept 2nd (I don’t know the time yet). If you go to watch, please stay out of the way of the demolition guys. The best and safest place to park and watch is probably going to be across the street by the train depot (which is now the Farmstead 303 Restaurant). If you take pictures, please post them on this page.

We’ve heard this on and off for a while, but more than a year-and-a-half after a fire destroyed Trackside Tavern and 5th Earl, it now sounds like construction of Trackside 2.0 may finally be around the corner.

A reader sends along this note from Trackside owner Doc Al…

OK, OK – here’s the news: Today is the beginning of the beginning of the rebirth of Trackside! I have been keeping it quiet for a little while, but after meeting with the building owner, working with the architect, and being contacted by the contractor, I can finally say with confidence that we are very soon from seeing the old building knocked down and an ALMOST IDENTICAL one going up in its place very very soon.

For continued updates, stay in touch with the “Trackside Tavern in Decatur, GA is Coming Back” Facebook page.

I sent a note to the owners of 5th Earl yesterday after someone inquired about the status of rebuilding and reopening the space.

Last night I received a note back from 5th Earl co-owner Brian Bressler informing me that after months of waiting, they had terminated their lease with the landlord of the burned space and would not be reopening there in the future.  To put it modestly, it seems there was a major falling out between parties.

Brian said that he has no immediate plans of reopening elsewhere, as they “are still muddling thru the last portion of our insurance claim, to see where we end up.”

I wish them the best, and am optimistic that one day they can do another great rehab around town and start serving up those great sandwiches again.

Lyn evokes Andisheh and elaborates on The Decatur Minute on the news shared by KL in an earlier comment that Trackside and 5th Earl demolition will begin this evening.

Don’t Panic!  A portion of the front wall of Trackside and Fifth Earl will be demolished this evening.  This work is necessary because the fire earlier this year destroyed critical structural components and a segment of the front wall had pulled away from the building and was collapsing.  This retail strip is made up of several individual buildings which were cobbled together over time into a small retail center.  So, while Trackside and Fifth Earl appeared to be in two buildings, they actually occupied at least three individual buildings that had been joined together and then subdivided over the years.  The damaged wall section being demolished includes the far right side of Trackside and the left section of Fifth Earl.  The eastern-most lane of College Avenue adjacent to the building will be closed to traffic from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. as the demolition work is completed.  Plans are still underway to restore the building and reopen the businesses.  The demolition work marks the first step in the reconstruction.