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    UPDATED: West Main Street reopens to traffic as Parker Hotel ‘mostly on the ground’ – The Highland County Press - March 6, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    West Main Street in Hillsboro reopened to traffic Friday evening, with the Parker Hotel almost completely demolished.

    Although crews are still working to clear the former building site, barriers were taken down Friday, and the fence blocking the demolition area was moved out of the roadway. Traffic was yielding to the last of Evans Constructions work crews before shutting down for the evening, shortly after 5 p.m.

    The closure of West Main Street in uptown Hillsboro was extended by several days as a result of extenuating circumstances following a building demolition that began on Feb. 24, the Ohio Department of Transportation said this week.

    As previously reported, the city of Hillsboro said Due to unforeseen circumstances with the party wall during the demolition of 137 W. Main Street, the demolition has been put on hold. We are working diligently to resolve and continue demolition as soon as possible.

    After encountering some delays on Wednesday, Feb. 26 the day of the Parker Hotels planned demolition crews from Evans Landscaping had continued working on bringing the building down until the most recent delay.

    Meanwhile, West Union attorney David Osborne, Jr. told The Highland County Press on Friday, March 6 that Evans Landscaping has been taking down parts of the building that houses Momma's West Main Street Cafe, which has been closed during the ongoing demolition.

    On Friday morning, the west exterior wall of the restaurant building showed several openings and cracks in the wall.

    Hillsboro mayor Justin Harsha said Friday afternoon that West Main Street would be open by the evening of March 6.

    The Parker Hotel is mostly on the ground now, Harsha told The Highland County Press. The dangerous part of the demolition is over.

    Harsha said crews from Evans Construction are working to clean the streets off in order to open U.S. 50 Friday night and help the city get back to normal.

    Regarding neighboring structures, Harsha said that there was not really anything I can comment right now, although he spoke about the ongoing issues with separating the hotel from its adjoining building, particularly in an area where a stairway corridor had been built where there formerly was an alley separating the building.

    Thats kind of where we ran into some problems, Harsha said. It wasnt really part of the original structure. But were moving forward and got the dangerous building out of the way.

    According to the city, Evans Landscaping invoiced the city $92,350 on Jan. 21 for the building demolition and cleanup. The city said at its Nov. 12, 2019 council meeting Evans Landscaping provided an estimate of $97,000 for the former hotels demolition.

    Read the original here:
    UPDATED: West Main Street reopens to traffic as Parker Hotel 'mostly on the ground' - The Highland County Press

    2 weeks after its planned demolition, the ‘Leaning Tower of Dallas’ is no more – WFAA.com - March 6, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    This story has been updated throughout.

    It finally happened. After 15 days of construction setbacks and demolition efforts to take down one very resilient core shaft, the crumbling building residents dubbed the "Leaning Tower of Dallas" came tumbling down at 3:18 p.m. Monday.

    The former Affiliated Computer Servicesbuilding was scheduled to be demolished by Lloyd D. Nabors Demolition, LLC on Feb. 16 to make way for The Central, a $2.5 billion development made up of residential, hotel, restaurant, entertainment and retail space that will take up 5-million-square-feet.

    It didn't work at least, not entirely.

    An implosion failed to bring down the core shaft of the 11-story building, which was designed in 1971 by Datum Engineers in Dallas back when the building was the original Southland Corporation Office Tower.

    RELATED: Engineer who helped design 'Leaning Tower of Dallas' building explains why it's so hard to tear down

    After the failed demolition, the resilient monument became something of a landmark to Dallasites. #LeaningTowerofDallas became a trending hashtag on social media as thousands of people flocked to the site to snap pictures. A petition was even started to save the tower, and a memorial website, Rememberthetower.com, was created in advance of the tower's eventual demolition.

    RELATED: Dallasites flock to 'Leaning Tower of Dallas' to get photos before Monday demolition

    Construction crews began a renewed demolition attempt on Feb. 24 with a 5,600-pound wrecking ball.

    "Though not very dramatic or speedy, it is a safe approach to bringing down the remaining elevator and stairwell shaft. Safety is even more important this week, given the strong gusty winds," engineer Stan Caldwell told WFAA Feb. 24. He's not affiliated with this demolition, but he has worked in the structural engineering field for nearly 50 years.

    On Monday, demolition crews started working on the tower around 8 a.m. After several hits with a wrecking ball, the tower crumbled slowly, then fell all at once at 3:18 p.m. In a statement released Monday, Nabors Demolition said it brought the tower down within the confines of the job site and the destruction didn't impact any pedestrians or any of the surrounding buildings.

    "Although we will miss witnessing the camaraderie encouraged by the Leaning Tower of Dallas, we look forward to turning the site at 2828 North Haskell Avenue over to De La Vega Development as they begin bringing The Central to life, the statement concludes.

    De La Vega Development also commented on the demolition Monday.

    "We have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing the spirit and support that the citizens of Dallas have expressed for the Leaning Tower of Dallas," the statement reads in part. "Their energy and enthusiasm will not be forgotten, and we plan to work with local artisans to commemorate this meaningful moment in The Central's history.

    On Monday, Dallas funeral home Hughes Family Tribute Center posted an obituary for the tower on its Facebook page:

    "Like the spark that ignited its fame, the flaming passion and unwavering heart of the Leaning Tower of Dallas came to a smoldering ember...It's [sic] 15 days of existence inspired many to stay strong when others try to knock you down. May its legacy never be forgotten."

    Watch a YouTube livestream here to see the minute it came down:

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    2 weeks after its planned demolition, the 'Leaning Tower of Dallas' is no more - WFAA.com

    Demolition of former hotel destroyed in tornado nearly complete – WDTN.com - March 6, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WDTN) Crews are almost finished demolishing a former hotel that was damaged during the Memorial Day tornadoes.

    The former hotel near Interstate 75 had been closed for several years, and now the property is up for sale.

    Some neighbors near Wagner Ford Road who are also still going through the tornado recovery process told 2 NEWS theyre relieved.

    Its an eyesore, said Daniel Chafin, who lives near the site. Its been vandalized. It brings bad elements in the neighborhood. So hey, Im happy with it going down and being a vacant lot.

    According to Cathi Spaugy, Harrison Township development director, a $3 million renovation project was happening inside the hotel when the storm hit.

    It became a safety issue because you could see the state of it, and we had people in and out of it trying to take things out of the inside, Spaugy said.

    The demolition process and all associated costs are being handled by the property owner, Spaugy said. The section still standing has asbestos and will be carefully cleared within the next few weeks, she added.

    Spaugy said she believes the property wont be a tough sell due to its location off of I-75.

    I would think its going to be something along the lines of a retail/light industrial type use thats going to go in there, Spaugy said.

    The recovery process is moving along throughout Harrison Township as more destroyed structures come down and others are repaired or rebuilt, Spaugy said. Right now, the township is looking at about a dozen abandoned homes and four to five commercial buildings for possible demolition, she added.

    Some neighbors in the hardest hit areas told 2 NEWS they remain optimistic.

    Its looking really well, Chafin said. If you just drive around, its a big difference than what it was.

    2 NEWS has attempted to reach the property owner, Dayton Fun Hotels LLC, for this story.

    Spaugy said she expects the site to be completely cleared by April.

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    More:
    Demolition of former hotel destroyed in tornado nearly complete - WDTN.com

    Time Capsule From Almost 100 Years Ago Unearthed by Demolition Workers in North Dakota – Newsweek - March 6, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    A time capsule from nearly a century ago has been unearthed by demolition workers in North Dakota. The team was working on the former Law Enforcement Center in the city of Williston when they came across the 91-year-old box.

    While removing the original cornerstone of the buildingformerly home to the Good Samaritan Hospital, laid on June 15, 1929the crew discovered a compartment on the underside of the stone housing a sealed metal box, The Williston Herald reported.

    Inside this box, workers found several documents of historical value to the city. One dated to June 8, 1929, and contained an invitation to the opening of the Good Samaritan Hospital.

    In the letter the building committee chairman, Axel Strom, outlines the history of the construction project and why it was needed to replace the previous Wittenberg Hospital, which was founded in 1916.

    "The hospital was begun and for many years has done its work in a frame building, to which two cottages were added, for nurses home," the invitation reads.

    "In 1916 a campaign was put on for a new hospital. While the preliminary campaign in Nov. of that year was very successful, the financial conditions the following year, ensuing upon our entrance into the war, and the following economic conditions following the war precluded any further effort to build a more adequate building.

    "In 1927, the Association decided to renew the campaign for a new building, the hospital having long since outgrown its quarters."

    In addition to the invitation letter, the time capsule also includes articles of incorporation for the Good Samaritan Hospital, as well as two editions of the Williams County Farmers Press and the Williston Herald from June 12 and 13, 1929, respectively. Both newspapers feature stories relating to the laying of the cornerstone on their front pages.

    After the discovery of the time capsule, workers sent the documents to Williston's attorney, who had the responsibility of deciding whether the city needed to keep any of the documents for its records.

    "It's pretty fascinating," Williston city administrator David Tuan told the Herald. "It plays a lot of similarities with what's going on in the community right now, with the need for health care, growth of the town, limited funds. It was very interesting to know that history with the hospital before Mercy [Hospital] came along."

    Worker also came across another hidden time capsule while tearing down a wall from a hospital addition built in the mid 1950s. However, many of the contents were damaged in the process.

    Williston is located in the west of North Dakota and is the sixth largest city in the state, with a population of nearly 30,000 people.

    Correction 03/02/2020 11.37 a.m.: This article originally said Williston is in the east of North Dakota.

    Originally posted here:
    Time Capsule From Almost 100 Years Ago Unearthed by Demolition Workers in North Dakota - Newsweek

    Palace of Auburn Hills demolition ramps up with implosion planned for spring – The Oakland Press - March 6, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Walls are beginning to fall at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

    Demolition crews began tearing apart the southwest side of the former 22,000-seat arena this week. Carleton-based demolition company Homrich has been clearing out the inside of the 31-year-old sports and concert venue since December. The 100-acre property was sold last June by Palace Sports and Entertainment to Livonia-based developer Schostak Bros. & Co for an undisclosed amount.

    Demolition taking place at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday, March 2, 2020.

    An implosion is planned this spring to bring down the 21-concrete beams supporting the arenas roof, Crains Detroit Business is reporting. In total, Homrich plans to recycle about 80,000-tons of material at the site. Demolition is estimated to cost between $3 and $4 million.

    The Palace of Auburn Hills officially closed in the fall of 2017 following the Detroit Pistons move to downtown Detroit. Its since been rezoned for research and development, technology and office space. Last spring, the city of Auburn Hills speculated the site might be used for a new technology park, including a hotel, conference center and retail spaces.

    The Palace of Auburn Hills may soon have a new owner, Crains Detroit Business is reporting.

    The Palace of Auburn Hills site has been sold for an undisclosed price to joint venture and Livonia-based developer Schostak Bros. & Co. w

    The big blue letters which spelled out The Palace of Auburn Hills on the 31-year-old arena have been taken down.

    A free scholarship workshop is taking place this month for parents and guardians of kids in the Pontiac School District.

    A trial date has been set for a man accused of killing his aunt, a physician from Troy.

    The Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities offers free "Shatter the Stigma" recovery support groups throughout Oakland County.

    Motorists in Berkley can get a start on finding out about the coming construction on 12 Mile Road in Berkley at two informational meetings on the project next week.

    Priya Daman has opened a local franchise of Young Rembrandts art enrichment program, to serve children in Oakland and Lapeer Counties. Daman w

    Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said it now feels "real and personal."

    A Brandon Township man has pleaded no contest to a reduced charge involving a petting zoo he operated where authorities said they found animal

    Lawrence Technological University and Oakland University are following national trends in canceling overseas travel because of the coronavirus.

    More here:
    Palace of Auburn Hills demolition ramps up with implosion planned for spring - The Oakland Press

    Texas demolition company accidentally destroyed the wrong house – KMOV.com - March 6, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

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    Instruction

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    Texas demolition company accidentally destroyed the wrong house - KMOV.com

    The 4 Most Common Ways to Demolish a Building - January 31, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Developers and demolition experts look at several factors when deciding how to demolish a building. Among other concerns, they consider the area where the building is located, the primary building materials, the purpose of the demolition, and how to dispose of the debris. Demolition methods can range from one devastating blast to careful, piece-by-piece dismantling, but in a crowded urban setting, any technique must be safe for the demolition crew and the surrounding buildings and public areas.

    Implosion is by far the most dramatic way to demolish a building. It involves using explosives to knock out a building's primary vertical supports, causing the building to collapse onto itself from the inside out. The placement of the explosive charges and the sequence of detonation are critical to a successful and safe demolition. Implosion is often used to demolish large structures in urban areas.

    For a successful demolition, blaster crews analyze a complete set of structural blueprints to identify the main components of the building and determine whether other areas need to be blasted in addition to those identified on the blueprints. They then determine the type of explosives to use, where to position them in the building, and how to time their detonation.

    Demolition with a high reach arm is an alternative to implosion and is typically used on buildings reaching a height of more than about 66 feet. This method involves a base machine, such as an excavator, fitted with a long demolition arm consisting of three sections or a telescopic boom. A demolition tool, such as a crusher, shears, or a hammer, is attached to the end of the arm and is used to break up the building from the top down. The machine removes large pieces of the structure, and a special grounds crew breaks down the pieces and sorts them for disposal.

    High reach arm demolition is used on reinforced concrete, masonry, steel, and mixed-material structures and is considered to be safer than traditional wrecking ball demolition for removing tall buildings.

    Wrecking ball demolition, or crane and ball demolition, is one of the oldest and most common methods of building demolition and is typically used for concrete and other masonry structures. The wrecking ballweighing up to 13,500 poundsis suspended on a cable from a crane or other heavy equipment. The ball is either dropped onto or swung into the structure, simply crushing the building with repeated blows.

    Highly skilled and experienced crane operators must perform wrecking ball demolition. Smoothness in controlling the swing of the ball is critical, since missing the target may tip or overload the crane. The size of the building that can be demolished with this method is limited by the crane's size and the working room, including proximity to power lines. Wrecking ball demolition creates a great deal of dust, vibration, and noise.

    Also known as strip-out, selective demolition is gaining popularity because it allows builders to reuse or recycle the building's materials. Selective interior and exterior demolition of wood, brick, metals, and concrete allow for recycling and future use in new structures, blending the old with the new. The main goal of this method is to recover the maximum amount of primary (reusable) and secondary (recyclable) material in a safe and cost-effective procedure. However, the process is labor-intensive and can be very difficult to achieve in a timely and economical manner for light-framed buildings.

    See the original post:
    The 4 Most Common Ways to Demolish a Building

    What’s up with a demolition derby in orbital space? | TheHill – The Hill - January 31, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    The recent launch of large numbers of small satellites by Space X is a reminder of the troubling issues ahead for the growing fleets of satellites that are zipping across our skies. We rely on these satellites for common things like finding our way around on the streets, getting on the internet, watching television, forecasting the weather, planning crops and much more; to say nothing of national defense. Although estimates vary, since the 1960s, around 9,000 satellites have been launched by a dozen countries of which around 5,000 are still in orbit and around 2,000 are still in service. That is all dramatically changing now.

    For most of this period, satellites were the primary preserve of large governments, mainly because of their great cost/complexity and military implications. Although a few U.S. and European companies either manufactured or operated communications satellites, these were either closely regulated or actually controlled by governments. A typical satellite might cost over $200 million to build and launch, take five years from start to operations, and involve as many as a dozen government approvals; not least of which were national security related.

    Through the 1990s, communications and many other types of satellites were placed in a very high orbit of 23,000 miles directly above the equator, where they would orbit the Earth at the same speed the Earth itself was rotating. This geostationary (GEO) orbit would make any satellite appear to be stationary in the sky so it could serve as a suspended relay tower for TV, telephone, and data across the oceans and continents. The ground equipment consisted of large dish antennas and bunkers that often required a staff. Putting satellites into this orbit is enormously complex and costly, and consequently these GEO satellites were built to last ten years or more. And there were very few entrepreneurs.

    For lots of reasons, this landscape began to change dramatically in the 1990s and more so around 20 years ago. Telecommunication deregulation, combined with the same dramatic advances in technology that gave us smart phones, opened opportunities for satellites never previously imagined. These opportunities were stimulated by a tidal wave of data and video generated through the internet and further deregulation in areas such as picture-taking (called remote sensing) satellites.

    Add to all of this venture capitalists aggressively looking for the next iPhone investment, the rise of new technological and superpowers like China, India and Japan, the spread of rocket technology and the deregulation of rocket launches and you get the satellite environment of the 2020s: Hundreds of businesses have been started in over a dozen countries that would if they all took place deploy 50,000 to 100,000 new satellites.

    Most of these would be small, inexpensive satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) of a few hundred miles, where they orbit the Earth every couple of hours. And they would connect to ground equipment ranging from a smart phone to a sheet of paper. By relying on smartphone-type technologies, mass production techniques, deregulation and the global outsourcing of launches and manufacturing, these new satellites will eventually wind up costing tens of thousands of dollars instead of hundreds of millions of dollars each. These dramatically lower costs will in turn create a feedback loop of new experiments, innovations and entrepreneurs that will drive the global satellite industry even further.

    Governments, UN agencies and industry have been quite aware of the growing list of issues that this new satellite environment is creating, and for over a decade serious international negotiations and national programs and regulations have been under way.

    Nothing has been more worrying, for example, than the prospect of tens of thousands of abandoned satellites and spent rockets zipping around the orbital lanes at 17,000 mph space debris. To prepare for this, the U.S. Air Force (and now the U.S. Space Force) which prides itself for always knowing everything orbiting the Earth, has built a massive new generation of monitoring facilities, called The Space Fence. Even various astronomy organizations have begun to voice concern over the impact of thousands of small satellites crisscrossing the skies on their ability to observe the stars. And now, proposals have surfaced for a variety of orbital garbage trucks that might pick up space debris and clear the orbital lanes.

    To be sure, space including the areas of orbiting satellites is vast by any human standard. And the likelihood of small satellites or space debris colliding in the near future is remote. And many satellites can maneuver if they are aware of a pending collision. But if collisions do occur in orbit, they are likely to create thousands of tiny new debris zipping around orbital space at 17,000 mph.

    While industry has done a lot to set standards, entrepreneurs have developed solutions and governments are negotiating frameworks, a core problem is the lack of an effective policy/legal framework to manage this risk on a global scale which is the only scale on which it could be effective.

    Most of the international legal framework to deal with the prospect of a demolition derby in orbital space is based on the 1960s-1990s satellite era: large satellites in geostationary orbit under military supervision. There is not, for example, even a universally-accepted definition of where national air space ends and outer space begins or of who has the right-of-way in orbital space.

    Many would assert that this lack of a universally-accepted, international legal framework is beneficial because it invites experimentation and innovation and would compare it to the unregulated environment that gave rise to the internet. Others suggest that unregulated orbital space compares with the high seas in that, to a large extent, what one does on the high seas has always been between that person and their own country.

    But the high seas analogy gives rise to another analogy that could also emerge in orbital space: flag of convenience registrations. Just as ships in the high seas might be registered in countries described as flags of convenience for regulatory or economic reasons, little would prevent satellite operators from formally registering their satellite fleets through flag of convenience countries for regulatory or economic reasons. In the satellite environment of the 2020s, this could easily be done while outsourcing the manufacturing of the satellites to businesses in one country, the launch to businesses in another country, and the management of the satellites to businesses in yet another country.

    Whether orbital space in the 2020s evolves into a nationally-regulated, an internationally-regulated, a code-of-conduct-regulated or an unregulated environment, it is rapidly changing and few of the tools developed between the 1960s and the 1990s will fit it well.

    Roger Cochetti provides consulting and advisory services in Washington, D.C. He was a senior executive with Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT) from 1981 through 1994. He also directed internet public policy for IBM from 1994 through 2000 and later served as Senior Vice-President & Chief Policy Officer for VeriSign and Group Policy Director for CompTIA. He served on the State Departments Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy during the Bush and Obama administrations, has testified on internet policy issues numerous times and served on advisory committees to the FTC and various UN agencies. He is the author of the Mobile Satellite Communications Handbook.

    Original post:
    What's up with a demolition derby in orbital space? | TheHill - The Hill

    The pleasures of a necessary demolition – Catholic Herald Online - January 31, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Returning to work after an exhausting Christmas has been very satisfying. Much as I love spending time with my family, I do get bored with dragging the children outside and away from their screens in inclement weather, trying to ignore their demands for sweets and how spoilt and ungrateful they have become after too many presents and late nights.

    My mother and I decided, after a hiatus of 15 years, to buy another hotel, this time in East Sussex. We completed on the deal in mid-December, four weeks later than we had hoped, with an equivalent delay expected in respect of our opening this summer.

    The builders are just back from their Christmas break, and this is a really fun part of the proceedings. We have received our planning permission and are going hell for leather with the demolition necessary to create the internal courtyard. There are clouds of dust, and I have just had my first complaint from a neighbour. It must be horrid to live next to our site. I am very sympathetic, but cant offer much immediate consolation; we are only a month into our refurbishment and my poor neighbour has months still to endure.

    However, we can begin to see the impact it will have and it is satisfying indeed to look at the falling layers of ugly tiles, cracked plaster, stud walls and rotten timber.

    ***

    It is not all pleasure, though. My mother is buying lovely pieces of furniture for the hotel while I am stuck debating the pros and cons of gas versus electric commercial dryers, cloud versus server-based phone systems, and how much it is going to cost to move the fire alarm panel.

    The technological requirements of the hotel are virtually incomprehensible to me, and I hate admitting that I dont understand some of the things suppliers explain to me. It is, I keep telling myself, good for the soul; there is no chance of me getting too full of myself.

    ***

    The weather has lifted and with it my mood. As I took the 07.23 from Clapham Junction the other morning to Polegate, near Eastbourne, and saw the gorgeous pink sunrise that presaged an icy but cloudless day, I had the encouraging feeling that we had passed the worst of winter and that spring would soon be upon us.

    I spent an hour at the end of last week planting hyacinths in bowls around the house. I dont garden at all; this is pretty much the only green-fingered thing I do all year. There is a visceral satisfaction in watching my bulbs grow, scenting every room in my house. A visible harbinger of seasonal change.

    ***

    My best friend and I took the Eurostar to Brussels for an overnight treat to compensate us for all our hard work over Christmas. There was a Magritte-Dal exhibition that we used as our excuse.

    We try to get away one night a year. Two years ago it was the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam last year the altarpiece in Bruges. We manage it by the skin of our teeth every time, in spite of ill children, unreliable husbands and the demands of work. It is, pretty much, the best night of my year, and we both protect it ferociously. I come back with a smile on my face and a song in my heart, and the knowledge that I have one friend who has known me all my life and still likes me.

    ***

    And then disaster! My wonderful, beloved nanny gave in her notice. She is going to Australia to be with her boyfriend. I am simultaneously happy for her and completely devastated not for the children, but for me.

    All my plans for this year opening the hotel, doing some work on the house, my son moving school in September now fill me with dread. Like any working mother, I am only as good as the help I have at home. My in-laws have promised to help where they can, but that is just a temporary solution.

    My husband, Marcus, and I are already trying to work out how we apportion the kids over the endless summer holidays. Until now, I have been able to take off a big chunk of time as I am self-employed, but I wont have that luxury this year because of the hotel. I hate missing any time with them as I can see how quickly they are growing up. But this had seemed the perfect year to work a bit harder, with my son Rocco spending another year at a school he loves, my Olga happily landed at secondary school and my Kate as capable of keeping the plates spinning as I am. The best laid plans, as they say.

    ***

    I dont think I like having my diary with the whole year planned out already. The only way to tackle it is going to be with my grandfathers advice firmly in mind: just do one thing at a time and try to do it well. Back to the technological demands of the hotel I go

    Alex Polizzi is a television presenter and writer

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    The pleasures of a necessary demolition - Catholic Herald Online

    Paterson: Demolition starts at Riverside Terrace housing development – Paterson Times - January 31, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    After years of delay, crews began demolishing the World War II-era Riverside Terrace housing development on 5th Avenue this week, to make way for 246 new senior and family apartments.

    Demolition is expected to take six months, said Israel Roizman of Roizman Development which is undertaking the approximately $105 million construction project at the 17-acre site. He said 30 buildings have to be knocked down. Site preparation work, road work, sewer and plumbing, and electricity work is being done simultaneously with demolition, he said.

    Roizman said groundbreaking will likely be held in March.

    Municipal officials welcomed the latest development.

    Its a good sign that they have started. The property has been derelict and vacant for some time, said councilman William McKoy. He represents the 3rd Ward where the project is located. Over the past decade, the rotting housing complex became a magnet for drugs and gun violence.

    McKoy said the proposed development will provide much needed housing. He also pointed to the opening of the area through new roadways. The previous development had many dead ends and the complex was isolated from the existing neighborhood. Proposed senior low-rise and the townhomes will be better integrated with the existing neighborhood, he said.

    They did 2 or 3 buildings, said Lilisa Mimms, councilwoman at-large, speaking of demolition. She lives half-block away from the development. Im glad they started the process. I pray it stays on task without delays or additional costs.

    Irma Gorham, director of the Paterson Housing Authority, had hoped to demolish the development in summer of 2017 and start construction in the fall of that year. However, she ran into delays in moving the existing tenants from the building.

    Federal officials approved the demolition in Jul. 2018. Next month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gave $1.54 million in housing choice vouchers to the Paterson Housing Authority to relocate remaining residents out of the development.

    In the first phase, Roizman will build 81 senior citizen units in a low-rise building that is expected to be finished by Jul. 2021. In the second phase, he will build 160 family apartments in townhouses which is expected to be finished by Jun. 2022. The project includes a community center. Separately, the Paterson Housing Authority plans to build 55,000 square feet of retail space fronting Route 20.

    Much of the funding for the new 246-unit housing development will provided by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) and other low-income tax credits, according to officials. Roizman Development will receive an almost $13 million developers fee. Paterson Housing Authority is leasing the 17-acre site for 15 years for $1.4 million to the firm.

    Were looking forward to the quality housing that will be brought back to that area, said McKoy.

    Email: jay@patersontimes.com

    Read the rest here:
    Paterson: Demolition starts at Riverside Terrace housing development - Paterson Times

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