Currently, a good portion of downtown Austin is a rubble pit.

But within a few weeks, demolition at the site of the Jan. 15 Main Street fire should be wrapped up — and attention will turn to what’s next for the lot.

The destroyed properties are privately owned, meaning the city has limited say, but community development director Craig Hoium said his staff has a few ideas for what might be best for downtown Austin.

Hoium said a mix of retail storefronts and possibly upper-level apartments would be a good fit.

However, Hoium said he hasn’t thought of particular businesses — and he added that it doesn’t matter much to him if existing retailers moved back in, or if a franchise possibly came to downtown.

A crew from BCM Grating and Excavating of Faribault works on tearing down the fire site on Main Street Wednesday afternoon.

All that Hoium and the city can control is whether the properties meet zoning requirements — what the owners decide to do is up to them.

The intention of one owner, Maria Leon, is unclear.

Leon owns what was the Mi Tierra properties and has been involved in a controversial dispute with the city.

On May 4, the city council passed a resolution calling on Leon to clean up the site, which the city has deemed “hazardous,” within 30 days of being served a lawsuit.

Leon did not respond to the resolution, and the case went to Mower County court, where on June 23 the two sides reached a settlement that states that clean-up costs will ultimately be assessed back to Leon.

However, the settlement also states that Leon and her attorney can review bids and costs as the project progresses.

Calls to addresses listed for Leon in court documents — one in Le Mars, Iowa, the other in Worthington, Minn. — were unsuccessful, and Hoium said he hasn’t spoken with the business owner.

Another owner, however, said he’d like to move back in once work is completed downtown.

Sam Nguyen owns Top Ten Nails — a business he personally paid to have cleaned up shortly after the fire.

Nguyen relocated to 507 First St. N.W., but now he wants his old spot back, though he’s not sure when.

“I’m still feeling around for what I got to do,” he said, adding that a lot of what he does is contingent on what happens next door.

“I want to move my business back there,” Nguyen said, “but I don’t want to do it by myself in the middle of nowhere.”

Other area business owners agree with Hoium that more retail would be a good fit.

Bonnie Mogen, owner of Bonnie’s Hallmark, said anything that can sell would be welcome.

“As long as it brings retail, I think it’s good,” she said.

Suzanne Schmidt, who works at Bendixen Jewelry on Main Street, said new shops and apartments could help revitalize downtown.

She also said an upscale restaurant, possibly Italian, would be a good fit.

“It would be nice to have our downtown come back to what it used to be,” Schmidt said.