SAUGUS — Another for-sale sign has found its way onto Karla’s Shoes, a condemned building that has withstood the test of time despite many residents and Town officials calling for its demolition over the years.
Opening its doors in the ’70s as a women’s shoe store, Karla’s closed in the ’90s due to competition from the then-brand-new Square One Mall. Since then, it has been on and off the market, with owner Isabelle Smith refusing to sell it for anything under what she believes it is worth.
The building has become a topic of discussion over the years, with the Board of Selectmen highlighting safety concerns.
“The Karla’s Shoes building has been in a dilapidated condition for years and poses a significant safety concern. There is a risk that debris from the structure could fall onto Route 1 and potentially cause a serious accident. Additionally, the property presents a fire hazard and has long been considered an eyesore by the community.
“I would like to see this building taken down as soon as possible. I do hope they find a buyer for the property,” Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta said.
Medi Mirnasiri, owner of the neighboring Auto Excellence Group. has watched the building crumble over the years.
“I told her (Smith), ‘You pick three companies to do an evaluation and a market value for your property, and I will pay for those. And then I’ll take the highest offer that comes in and give you $50,000 over that,'” Mirnasiri said. “And she said no… So I said, ‘Look, whatever the assessment is, I’ll give you $100,000 over the assessment.’ And she said no again.”
Mirnasiri said the building is completely condemned and that, if it were to catch fire, the fire department would not be allowed to enter because it is so dangerous.
“Everything is ready to collapse. Part of the foundation has already collapsed… It is extremely, extremely dangerous to the public because there’s no sidewalk here, and we have a grocery store and a mall on one side. And there are a bunch of people who stay at the hotel and live on this side. Two of them are handicapped and in wheelchairs. They go by here all the time and cut through that area because there is no sidewalk,” he said, continuing that the chimney, which is made of brick, keeps crumbling, and that falling bricks could be dangerous to anyone nearby.
Mirnasiri said that, over the years, he had offered to purchase the property and give it to the Town as a gift, with a fountain and landscaping, but the offer had been turned down.
“I wouldn’t expand my business… I would never want to because there’s so many accidents on that exit. That exit is a bad exit… My suggestion to the Town was to knock it down, partially add to the exit, and make it a little safer,” he said. “And the rest of it can be landscaping.”
Mirnasiri noted that, due to the dangerous exit and the lack of parking space, it was not a great spot to place anything.
He said that since his time at the location, he had seen it go up for sale and multiple offers rejected because the owner kept raising the price.
The current asking price is $800,000; the building has 8,000 square feet of land and is being sold as-is.
“If somebody has to pay $800,000, and they have to knock it down and completely rebuild it… The ask doesn’t add up,” Mirnasiri said.
