The owner of the building that houses Jean’s Restaurant on Front Street in Meridian says he’s offered the eatery’s owner a chance to stay once the space is rehabilitated, but the owner says he’s ready to move on.

David Purvis , with Peachtree Properties, LLC., said that while he was working to renovate the building last week, problems were found in the restaurant, necessitating its closure.

“It’s just to a critical point that we have to rehab the kitchen,” Purvis said. The kitchen is a health hazard issue that has to be confronted.”

“The ceiling fell in one of the back areas,” Purvis added. “So I said, I’m going to start there and close off the area, and pull up the 20-year old carpet. But, after I spent 40 hours in there this weekend, I went through the whole building and it was in a such a state that it just had to be closed.”

That closure came in the form of an eviction notice served on Monday to Jamie Johnson, the owner of Jean’s.

Purvis said he told Johnson he could return after 30 days and renegotiate his lease, but Johnson said he’s already looking to move the business elsewhere.

“I will never work with David Purvis again,” he said. “This is the last straw.”

Purvis, who has owned the building for 25 years, said he doesn’t have a tenant lined up for the space.

“When the renovations are complete, we’ll talk to anybody,” he said.