Battle Creek Goes To Court Over Crumbling Binder Building

The battle between the owner of the crumbling Binder Building in downtown Battle Creek and the city administration is heating up. And getting more complicated. Calhoun County Circuit Court Judge Sarah Lincoln is granting a temporary injunction preventing owner Bryan DeBolt from selling or transferring ownership of the Binder Building. The city argues DeBolt is responsible for the repair or demolition of the building he owns, and transferring ownership might make it easier for him to walk away from his responsibility. But the city also moved to get an order preventing DeBolt from selling his other property, including his residence. Judge Lincoln is ruling against that request.

So DeBolt remains the owner of a building the city calls a nuisance. But the short and long term prospects of whether the Binder Building is torn down, rebuilt, or valuable artifacts inside saved, are all still up in the air.