The owner of a company responsible for clearing the site of two Clay Street buildings that collapsed nearly four years ago has formally requested an eight-month extension to finish the job, Building and Inspections Director Victor Gray-Lewis confirmed Friday.

An 18-month court-approved agreement between the city and Antique Wood and Brick Company of Mississippi for the completion of the work expired Wednesday. Gray-Lewis said he received a letter from Antique Wood and Brick owner Bill Greenwood this week requesting the company be given until the end of August 2010 to dismantle and haul away remaining brick and debris, as well as backfill the vacant lot to sidewalk level and provide drainage.

“I don’t have a problem with it, but it’s up to the mayor and aldermen to decide,” said Gray-Lewis. “He is making progress. I don’t want to see it stop; I want to see it keep going and get finished.”

The mayor and aldermen are set to meet next at 10 a.m Monday. As of Friday morning, the contract extension was not on the agenda, said deputy city clerk Tasha Wynn. However, additions to the agenda can be made at any time leading up to a board meeting. Mayor Paul Winfield has said he is inclined to grant an extension.

The 140-year-old structures at 707-713 Clay St. collapsed on Jan. 25, 2006. The collapse sparked two years of legal wrangling between the city and property owners over whether the buildings should be stabilized and restored or torn down entirely. Circuit Judge Isadore Patrick approved an agreement in June 2008 that gave Greenwood’s company 18 months to tear down the structures piece by piece.

The city will have to have the contract extension approved in circuit court, but first the mayor and aldermen will have to sign off on it. Ownership of the building remains uncertain, said City Attorney Lee Davis Thames Jr. Courthouse records show the properties were transferred this summer from former owners Preston and Mary Reuther to Downtown Vicksburg Investments LLC, headed by Jackson law firm Stubblefield & Yelverton.

“So, the city needs to petition the court to change the name in the original agreement to reflect the new owner, and then have the extension approved by the court,” said Gray-Lewis, who added he has notified the mayor and aldermen by e-mail about Greenwood’s request.

If the mayor and aldermen decide against granting an extension, Thames has said they would be left little choice but to file a contempt of court suit against Greenwood and begin the process of finding another avenue to get the work completed.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com