Hartley council eyes old theater demo

With a little luck, downtown Hartley will have one less building later this year.

City Administrator Roxann Swanson on Monday updated the council on demolition plans for the former Capitol Theatre. She recently applied for a Derelict Building Grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which would ease the cost of removal expenses once the dust settles.

Swanson applied for $75,000, which is the maximum amount under the grant. Demolition been estimated at $100,000-$130,000.

"We could receive that or it could be less," Swanson told the council. "We should know within three months."

The...