Osaka Japanese Restaurant owners fight to keep building standing after fire

The owners of Osaka Japanese Restaurant are clashing with the city after the Office of Housing and Community Development after being served an emergency notice of demolition following a large fire that damaged the building Thursday.

Owners Sangwon and Kay Seo submitted evidence to Jefferson Circuit Court Monday claiming the building at 426 W. Market St. can be restructured instead of demolished after the city alleged the facility was in "imminent danger of failure or collapse" and that it "endangers life," according to court documents.

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More than 100 firefighters responded when the entire five-story building was engulfed in flames. A release from the Louisville Fire Department said the building was mostly vacant.

The county attorney's office was not immediately available for comment as of Wednesday morning.

Attorney Bart Greenwald submitted an inspection done by KPFF, a group of consulting engineers, who concluded that Osaka's building could be repaired and therefore rendered usable under certain conditions, according to court documents.

The firm recommended a partial demolition of the east and west walls as well as constructing a temporary brace to support some of the building's brick walls, documents read.

"We're working with the city to try to save the building and save the business, and everyone is being very cooperative," Greenwald said.

Greenwald also filed temporary restraining orders against the city, one of which argues against demolition, in addition to safe restructuring, on the basis that owners have "invested substantial time and energy into the building and have positively cultivated the reputation of Osaka Japanese Restaurant among members of the downtown community."

What's going in the space? Tennis courts at Iroquois Park close indefinitely.

Contact reporter Rae Johnson at RNJohnson@gannett.com. Follow them on Twitter at @RaeJ_33

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Osaka owners clash with city over demolition of building after fire