Blighted Building Coming Down

Bradford City Council on Tuesday enthusiastically agreed to allow the demolition of 31-37 Mechanic Street.


By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director

One more blighted property in Bradford is coming down, and city leaders are working on ways to get rid of even more.

During a public hearing on 2010 Community Development Block Grant proposed activities, Office of Community and Economic Development Executive Director Sara Andrews said she and Mayor Tom Riel had talked about trying to address a larger number of properties instead of the three to five they demolish annually with CDBG money.

She said they are considering borrowing money for demolition, then paying the loan back with CDBG money.

Andrews said she spoke with her grant manager in Harrisburg, who said that's possible but the city would have to pay the interest on the loan. However, she said the interest rate for municipalities is "probably pretty good right now."

Councilman Jim Evans asked if the city could save money going that route to get the properties demolished.

She said she's not sure about that yet because she's not sure where the Board of Health stands or where they are in the legal process in regard to the 30 to 40 properties that need to be demolished.

"It appears that we've been kind of been spinning our wheels and we haven't been able to take down as many as we'd like to take down," she said, adding that the loan idea is something for council to think about.

The money allocated for demolition is $40,000. Andrews said that will get five or six buildings torn down, depending on the size of the building and the scope of the work.

She said the loan plan "may be a way of addressing demolition sooner rather than later."

During the council meeting, the building inspector was granted permission to issue a demolition permit to Bob Cummins, who owns the building at 31-37 Mechanic Street.

Council also agreed to pay Bob Cummins Construction $5,900 to demolish 57 Sherman Street, which was destroyed by a fire.

Cummins' bid was the lowest of three quotes received.