Grow Auburn Shares Update on Central Avenue Crash Repairs

More than four months after a semi-truck crash heavily damaged the building at 923 Central Ave., the site remains vacant as Grow Auburn continues working through insurance and repair plans.
The property, purchased by Grow Auburn in October 2025, sustained damage in the Dec. 30 crash involving a semi-truck. Debris has since been cleared, but the structure itself remains in rubble form while funding and next steps are finalized.
Following a Friday, May 15 meeting, Auburn Chamber of Commerce Executive Director  and Grow Auburn Board Member Leslie Clark provided an update on the project.
Clark said they have received insurance funds from their own carrier but are still waiting on additional payments from the trucking company’s insurer.
Clark said estimates place the total cost of demolition and repairs between $500,000 and $600,000.
“At this time, the plan is to demo the old chamber building and repair the back of Village Designs to the original footprint,” Clark said. “Those will be two separate projects.”
No official timeline has been set for demolition or reconstruction work.
“We are making progress albeit slowly,” said Clark.
She also noted Grow Auburn is planning a public open house at the Rural Impact Hub, located at 919 Central, on June 24.