Print |
E-mail to a friend
ZZUNUSED
City could speed up demolition process
Demolition List: 739 7th St. Owner: Judith Ashe
HUNTINGTON -- Huntington residents who live next to dilapidated or burned-out homes have come to realize that it's not that easy to knock them down.
Because of several legal hurdles, it can take city officials at least six months, if not longer, to get clearance for demolition. The problem is compounded by the fact that the city's demolition program is severely underfunded considering the number of homes that are on the demolition list.
While funding still remains an issue, city officials believe they have found a way to shave a couple months off the time it takes to tear down a condemned home.
The solution lies within the way the city awards demolition contracts, said Charles Holley, director of development and planning. In the past, the city selected a dozen or so condemned homes and advertised them through a legal notice in the newspaper. Demolition contractors bid on each property, with the lowest bidder receiving a contract to tear down the home.
Under the new process, the city has asked contractors to enter bids based on how much they will charge for every square foot of property they demolish. For example, R&B Tassen Construction of Huntington submitted a low bid of $2.75 per square foot earlier this month. If City Council approves the contract (the first reading of which is on the agenda for tonight's council meeting), then the city can use R&B Tassen Construction for all of its demolition needs over the next year.
The new process eliminates the need to seek bids and have contracts approved by council every time a home is approved for demolition. The city of Charleston uses the same practice, Holley said.
The city has $314,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds to use for demolition. If City Council approves the contract, R&B Tassen will immediately tear down 11 dilapidated properties, Holley said. They include: 739 7th St.; 515-21 West 6th St.; 516-22 West 6th St.; 1259 Jefferson Ave.; 228 Buffington St.; 4440 Piedmont Road; 1033 28th St.; 1508 9th Ave.; 1507 9th Ave.; 1679 11th Ave.; and the garage at 103 Oakland Ave.
Those properties are among 100 that are sitting on the city's demolition list. A few have been on the list for more than three years.
The city recently posted pictures of the condemned properties on its Web site along with the name of the owner and the owner's current home address. It's an attempt to shame the owners into taking better care of their property, Holley said.
