Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Panel Urges Demolition of Dillenbeck’s Within 14 Days : Landmarks: Run-down market with asbestos problem is ‘dangerous to human life,’ commission says. Owners unsuccessfully request a four-month grace period.

Calling the local landmark “dangerous to human life” because of its run-down condition and asbestos-laced ceiling, the Santa Clarita Planning Commission has ordered demolition of the abandoned Dillenbeck’s Market within 14 days.

The commission voted 4 to 0 Tuesday night for Dillenbeck’s owners to raze the building, which was once a popular gathering place for rural Canyon Country residents.

“I’m extremely disappointed that a property owner, especially a commercial property owner, would let their property get into this state of disrepair,” said Chairwoman Linda Townsley.

Neighboring businesses have complained that the dilapidated structure, which has been empty since the mid-1980s, is an eyesore that lowers nearby land values.

Commissioners reviewed slides of the building that showed vandalism to its interior, weeds on the property and trash blown against the chain-link fence that surrounds the site.

“I think there is absolutely no question in anybody’s mind, including the (property owners), the place is a dump,” said Commissioner Jerry Cherrington.

Dillenbeck’s owners on Tuesday unsuccessfully requested a four-month grace period to obtain bids for the demolition work. They offered to immediately paint the structure, remove its battered sign and tear down lean-tos near the main building.

“We would like to work with the city,” said Steve Kerekes, an attorney representing owners Simon Feirstein and Brian Stafford.

Commissioners called the proposed delay excessive, saying it should take less than two weeks to find a contractor to do the work. Two of the commissioners cited their personal experiences with having asbestos detected and removed from their own homes after the Northridge earthquake.

“To take 120 days to do the things you suggest seems a little extraordinary,” said Commissioner Louis Brathwaite.

It is unclear if the commission ruling means the building will promptly come down. The property owners have the option of appealing the commission ruling, within 14 days, to the Santa Clarita City Council.

This is not the first time the building’s fate was thought to have been settled.

Plans were made for the Los Angeles County Fire Department to burn the store down last fall as a fire training exercise, but this plan fell through with the discovery of the asbestos.

Neither the city nor the land owners were willing to pay the additional $25,000 to $50,000 to remove the asbestos.