The demolition program came under scrutiny in the fall 2015 amid concerns over bidding practices and soaring costs.(Photo: Detroit News file photo)

Detroit The program director for the land banks federally funded demolition effort has resigned, the authority confirmed Thursday.

Rebecca Camargo is stepping down from the post for other opportunities, said Craig Fahle, a spokesman for the Detroit Land Bank Authority. She tendered her resignation last week and it will be effective Sept. 1, he said.

The high-ranking departure is the latest in recent months for the land bank, which is currently at the center of a federal criminal investigation into the citys demolition activities. The probe is among several federal, state and local reviews.

Camargo, a former Wayne County prosecutor, has worked with the land bank since 2014 and formerly assisted with its nuisance abatement and drug house programs. She could not be immediately reached Thursday for comment.

We thank her for her time, said Fahle of Camargo, who took the director job earlier this year. Shes been a great asset to the land bank for over three years. We wish her well.

The demolition program came under scrutiny in fall 2015 amid concerns over bidding practices and soaring costs. The land bank oversees Detroits blight elimination along with the Detroit Building Authority. More than 12,000 blighted homes have been demolished under the program since May 2014.

Camargo was named program director in mid-January, replacing Pura Bascos, who resigned. Officials at the time said Bascos was stepping down to return to her family in New Orleans. Days later, land bank compliance manager Martha Delgado left the blight reduction program for undisclosed reasons.

The departures came after former building authority deputy director Jim Wright, who oversaw the blight removal program, abruptly resigned in August 2016.

Bascos and Delgado were among 14 current and former employees listed on subpoenas from the Office of the Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program received by the land bank last year requesting documents pertaining to federally funded contracts and several demolition contractors.

The land banks deputy general counsel, Tammy Daniels, will step in as the interim director, Fahle said.

A permanent replacement will be determined by the land banks new executive director, Saskia Thompson, who is slated to join the authority Sept. 5. Thompson, a Detroit native who formerly served as deputy finance director for the city of Philadelphia, was selected for the $150,000-a-year position following a national search.

Prior executive director Carrie Lewand-Monroe announced her departure in March to take on a consulting role with the agency as well as private development work. Lewand-Monroe had joined the land bank in 2014 and became its executive director in December 2015.

CFerretti@detroitnews.com

Read or Share this story: http://detne.ws/2vkmTTp

Follow this link:
Detroit land bank demolition program director resigns - Detroit News - The Detroit News

New York Daily News

Judge blocks demolition of historic Brooklyn synagogue New York Daily News Their prayers were answered. A Brooklyn judge temporarily blocked the demolition of the oldest synagogue in Borough Park after members argued the sale of the building was based on misrepresentations. Chevra Anshei Lubawitz, on 12th Ave. and 41st St., ...

Go here to see the original:
Judge blocks demolition of historic Brooklyn synagogue - New York Daily News

Crew have begun work to demolish Pensacolas historic 1928 Hallmark School as a Texas-based homebuilder moves forward with plans to erect 76 townhomes on the site.

Located at 115 South E Street, the school was named forGeorge Stone Hallmark, a prominent Pensacola judge. Closed in 2011, the school was sold for $1 million in 2013 toPensacola-based 349 LLC. Following several unsuccessful attempts to develop the property,349 a partnership between attorney Fred Levin and longtime associate Fred Vigodsky sold it last month for $1.65 million to Dallas, Tex.-based D.R Horton, one of the nations largest homebuilders.

Demolition permits were issued for the 89-year-old school back in January, and city records list the permits as having expired in March. City officials, however, said the permits were still valid due to delays in asbestos testing and abatement.

Because demolition of the structure cannot occur until the testing and abatement have been completed, the contractor was not able to start the demolition until approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said city building official Bill Weeks. The demolition contractor was allowed to continue the work on this demolition permit in accordance with the Florida Statutes regarding permit life.

As of Thursday, crews from Maverick Demolition had razed most of the library outbuilding and were well underway with interior demolition of the main school building.

Despite the buildings age and its handsome Renaissance Revival architecture, its not located within any of the citys historic districts and was thus unshielded from redevelopment. A proposed historic preservation ordinance introduced by city council president Brian Spencer last year would have required board review before any structure built before 1940 could be demolished, but that proposal was pulled prior to a vote.

I do think this is a loss and its another historic neighborhood school that has been demolished in the past few years, said Ross Pristera, a historic preservationist with the University of West Florida Historic Trust. This site had a lot of potential with the large amount of open acreage and a great historic building. The original school building could have been rehabilitated and the developer could have applied for historic tax credits and a local ad valorem tax exemption.

Architecturally, the school had great Renaissance Revival details and fit with other buildings of this period, Pristera said.With this loss, more generic-looking buildings will replace the interesting architecture that makes Pensacola unique from other cities. Besides the architectural importance, the personal connections related to this school are strong since it served the community for decades.

City council members in June issued final approval of the new proposed plat for the five-acre site, which calls for 76 0.03-acre townhome parcels arranged around the perimeter of the property. D.R. Horton hasnt yet released details about the development or construction timeline.

View post:
Demolition underway at Pensacola's historic Hallmark School | The ... - The Pulse

MT. VERNON The MVTHS School Board Tuesday approved seeking bids to demolish Buildings A through F and M at the old campus.

The cost of demolishing the buildings and abating asbestos has been estimated at roughly $1.3 million, but a firm price tag won't be known until after bids are received. The goal is to complete the project by June 1, 2018, but the time frame is not set in stone, said Mt. Vernon Township High School Consultant Dr. Nick Osborne.

That's our target, Osborne said. We'd like to see it all taken care of before the next school year begins.

Last month, school board members reached a consensus that A through F and M Buildings should be demolished and G and H Buildings should be sold. A through F are located on the east side of Seventh Street and M is a small house across from F Building.

Dealing with the old campus has become a major priority for the board considering the cost of maintaining the site, as well as liability and vandalism concerns.

Estimates are it costs $11,000 to $12,000 a month or about $150,000 a year to maintain A through F Buildings with utilities. And while outside parties have expressed interest in buying G and H, no one has done so for A through F.

Currently, MVTHS officials are compiling a list of firms that may want to submit bids for the demolition. A bid specification packet will be sent to those companies.

In addition, the district will place ads in local newspapers to advertise for bids and interested parties can also contact MVTHS for more information.

Potential bidders will be required to attend a pre-bid meeting Sept. 13 in A Building at the old campus. A time for the meeting has not yet been set.

We think this is important enough that we're going to make sure people are understanding what they're getting into with this, Osborne said. This is a very big project, a very large project with a lot of issues that have to be attended to.

MVTHS Board President Matthew Flanigan warned that the asbestos abatement adds another layer of complexity to the project.

There's a lot of liability issues, especially with asbestos, that we've got to take care of, he said.

Meanwhile, the district is seeking proposals from architectural firms to oversee construction of a new 15,000 square-foot maintenance building that would also include space for athletic and drama storage, as well as concessions and restrooms.

It is unclear whether MVTHS will build one or two structures. The cost is estimated at more than $1 million and the project also has a tentative completion date of June 1, 2018, Osborne said.

MVTHS will pay for the demolition and maintenance building out of its Capital Projects Fund, which contains about $2.5 million from the state's final payment for the new school construction, among other revenues. The rest of the state funding was used to pay off half of MVTHS' debt.

According to updated figures presented Tuesday, the Capital Projects Fund begins fiscal year 2018 with a balance of about $6.8 million and will end the year at $212,000, a loss of about $6.6 million.

The fund includes roughly $3.5 million in expenses to pay for the maintenance building and old campus demolition, as well as completion of the greenhouse and the baseball/softball fields.

Interim Superintendent Marilyn Holt said she hopes bids for the demolition and maintenance building come in much lower than initial cost estimates.

Holt praised Osborne and Director of Facilities Brian Rightnowar for their work on the projects and said she is excited about the progress being made.

They have done amazing work and I take my hat off to both of those gentlemen, Holt said. I'm pleased with the progress.

Read the original:
MVTHS seeks demolition bids - Mt. Vernon Register-News

The first stage of demolition work is underway at the former Hydro Aluminium Kurri Kurri smelter.

MOVING FORWARD: Hydro Kurri Kurri managing director Richard Brown and CMA Contracting project manager Mick Lawrence.

The redevelopment of the former Hydro Aluminium smelter site near Kurri Kurri has taken a significant step forward, with the first stage of demolition works underway.

CMA Contracting was appointedprincipal contractor for the project in April, and commenced works to demolish the smelter infrastructure last week.

The first stage of demolition will includemost of the buildings on site and is expected to be completed by late 2018.

But it will could a few more years before the smelters iconic chimney stacks disappear from the localskyline.

The stacks and water towers are part of the second stage of demolition and remediation, which is still undergoing assessment for approval.

Buildings with potential for reuse andthosestoring waste materials, and below-ground infrastructure are also part of the second stage.

The chimney stacks will be part of the second stage of demolition, which is still undergoing assessment.

The chimney stacks and water towers will be part of the second stage of demolition, which is still undergoing assessment.

The chimney stacks will be part of the second stage of demolition, which is still undergoing assessment.

Rezoning of the 1900-hectare site is also under assessment.

Hydro has applied to rezone the predominantly-rural site to accommodateabout215 hectares for employment activities, 180 hectares for residential development, and around 1300 hectares for conservation purposes.

Rezoning proposals were endorsed by Cessnock and Maitland councils in 2015 and received gateway approval with conditions in March 2016.

One of the conditions was the requirement for a flood study by Maitland City Council that takes into account the Testers Hollow area.

The flood study is expected to be complete in early 2018, andoverall the rezoning process is expected to take up to three years.

The smelter ceased production in November 2012 and was permanently closed 18 months later.

Hydro Kurri Kurri managing director Richard Brown saidwhile the start of demolition was an exciting milestone, its still early days.

A lot of preparation has to go into it its a comprehensive process.

An aerial view of the Hydro site. Video: REGROWTH Kurri Kurri

The Hydro project team welcomesfeedback and questions fromlocal residents, business owners or other stakeholders.

Phone1800 066 243, emailcommunity.kurri@hydro.comor write toHydro Aluminium Kurri Kurri, PO Box 1, Kurri Kurri NSW 2327 with our inquiries.

April 28, 2017:Demolition work at Hydro due to start in May

April 12, 2017: Call to move new hospital

August 11, 2016: Hydroprogress on public display

March 29, 2016:Hydroproposal progresses

September27, 2015: New plan for Hydro smelter waste

September 8, 2015:Smelter waste may be recycled, if feasible

August 18, 2015:Ideas sought for tribute to smelter

August 22, 2014:HydroKurri reveals plans for on-site contamination cell

July 2, 2014:Hydroassesses options for site remediation

May 14, 2014:New opportunities for KurriHydrosite

March 12, 2014:KurriHydrosite in prime position

March 12, 2013:Options considered forHydrosite

Read more from the original source:
Demolition work begins at former Hydro Aluminium Kurri Kurri smelter - Cessnock Advertiser

The elder brother of the Manchester United star was on target as the Castle Lords dismantled the amateur side in an exhibition match

Mathias Pogba netted twice as Sparta Rotterdam made light work of PPSC 22-1 in a friendly encounter on Saturday.

Lukaku: Who could reject Man Utd?

Alex Pastoors men went into the break leading 12-0 after Thomas Verhaar, Loris Brogno and Ragnar Ache all registered hat-tricks.

Slovenian Dalibor Volas wason target twice while Paco van Moorsel also found the net.

At the beginning of the restart, the Eredivisie outfit rang the changes but did not soft-pedal on the non-league side.

Ache got his fourth goal before making way for Pogba in the 62nd minute. Stijn Spierings and Rick Drongelen registered twice each,with Craig Goodwin, Ryan Sanusi andIlias Alhaft allon target.

Guinea internationalPogba got his name on the scoresheet just after two minutes of coming on, and the former Patrick Thistle striker got the 22nd goal for his side in the 84th minute.

There was still time, however, for their amateur counterparts to get a consolatory goal via Eretreffer to end the tie 22-1.

See original here:
Pogba's brother scores twice in 22-1 demolition of PPSC - Goal.com

Posted 7 hours ago in City, Events

Drivers battle it out in the arena during the annual Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

The Central Wyoming Fairgrounds grandstands were packed with fans hungry for to watch the arena floor get soaked with radiator fluid, oil and various car parts during the annual Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo Demolition Derby on Saturday, July 8, in Casper.

The popular event drew dozens of contestants with their stripped and modified hulks in a smashing spectacle of bent metal and exhaust fumes. Its the ultimate rush, said Cling Harris as he prepared his sons car for the event.

Article continues below...

Fair and rodeo events continue through the week, including the downtown parade on Tuesday morning and the start of the PRCA Rodeo on Tuesday evening.

Josh Wilson puts on his gloves before taking his 1975 Monte Carlo into the arena for the annual Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo Demolition Derby on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Cars are lined up before the first heat on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

A car prepared for battle before the annual demolition derby at the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo on July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Clint Harris makes a few adjustments on his sons demo derby car before competition on Saturday, July 8, at the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo in Casper. The 1984 Caprice station wagon has been in four derbys. It keeps on ticking, I dont know why, said Harris. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Fans watch the action from the packed grandstands at the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Steam and smoke belch from a demolition derby car as it dies in battle on July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Merri Toellner gives her friend Mike Cook a thumbs up before the second heat of the annual Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

A contestant leaves his wrecked demolition derby car at the end of a heat on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Demolition derby fans cheer the carnage on Saturday, July 8, at the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Derby cars smash through a heat during the annual Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo Demolition Derby on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Cars battle to the end during a heat in the annual demolition derby on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Josh Wilson takes in cheers from the crowd after an impressive performance in his 1975 Monte Carlo during the annual Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo Demolition Derby on Saturday, July 8, in Casper. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)

Tagged: Cars, Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo, demolition derby, wrecks

Continue reading here:
Demolition Derby (GALLERY) - Oil City

Carr Properties contends nighttime activity will minimize disruption to office workers, drivers

By Bethany Rodgers

Published: 2017.07.06 02:56

The Apex building in downtown Bethesda is slated for demolition and redevelopment.

Bethany Rodgers

Montgomery County is weighing a developers request to conduct round-the-clock demolition of the Apex building in downtown Bethesda starting as soon as August.

Working during nights and on weekends would speed up the demolition process, enabling crews to level the 150,000-square-foot building in roughlytwo months instead of four, according to developer Carr Properties. The company described its plans in an application for a temporary noise waiver for the hours from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends.

Two adjacent southbound lanes of Wisconsin Avenue will shut down at night and one will close during the day to protect passing motorists while the building is being razed, the application states. The companys plan also calls for traffic signage and flaggers to help pedestrians navigate the closures.

Carr wants to replace the existing structure at 7272 Wisconsin Ave. with office and apartment towers that could soar 300 feet into the sky. The company has also agreed to construct a shell for a future Purple Line station beneath the complex, and despite the legal entanglements that have delayed the light-rail project, the Maryland Transit Administration is holding Carr to a late 2018 deadline, according to the June 19 waiver application.

Sticking to this schedule requires an expedited demolition process, Carr argues in its request for a noise waiver effective from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31.

Stan Edwards, Montgomery Countys chief of environmental policy and compliance, said the countys noise waivers are good for 30 days and can be reissued for two 30-day periods. After that, the developer has to submit an entirely new application, he said.

The county publishes a notice of a noise waiver request and gathers public comment for at least 10 days before deciding whether to grant it. In this case, the county will allow extra time so that more people can offer feedback, Edwards said.

Carrs application describes proposed tools and methods for the razing process and states the noise levels from a 50-foot distance should stay below 85 decibels, or about as loud as a blender or food processor, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

In the interests of minimizing noise, crews will not set off explosives or swing wrecking balls to flatten the Apex and instead use hydraulic pulverizers and shears mounted on excavators. Theyll also save jack-hammering for daytime hours.

Carr also has forged an agreement with neighboring retailers not to do weekend demolition on the side of the property that faces their establishments. And nearby office workers, drivers and pedestrians will suffer less disruption if the razing takes place at night, Carr argues in the application.

The only residences within a 500-foot radius of the site are the Darcy condominiums on Woodmont Avenue and the Seasons apartments on Bethesda Avenue, Carr has determined.

Edwards noted there are hotels near the Apex site. But hes hopeful that the location of the demolition will help dampen the commotion.

Its surrounded by lots of big buildings, and that will serve as a good noise buffer, Edwards said, although he added there definitely will be a lot of people who will hear it.

News that Carr had applied for a noise waiver was first reported by local blogger Robert Dyer.

Waiver Application Form-Apex Demo byBethany on Scribd

Noise Suppression Details byBethany on Scribd

Plus: Thousands of students chow down on free lunch; slight uptick in preventable bus crashes

Stolen credit cards were used to buy merchandise at nearby stores

See the rest here:
Apex Developer Proposes 24/7 Demolition in Downtown Bethesda - BethesdaMagazine.com

DIXON Little remote controlled cars spun, rammed and flipped over on a dirt track Saturday, all for a good cause.

The inaugural RC Demolition Derby is one of the biggest fundraisers the Rotary Club of Dixon has hosted in a while. It brought out hundreds of people who not only volunteered but enjoyed watching the event.

The goal really is to have fun, said Kevin Johnson, president of the Rotary club. We also hoped to raise some money.

He estimated that they raised between $5,000 to $10,000 with the food vendors and dunk booth. The money will go toward scholarships for Dixon High School students and other local organizations.

The idea came from watching demolition derbies, but Johnson realized that could lead to some injuries, which was not the idea at all. He saw RC demolition derbies on the internet and thought that might be something that would work.

Mike Hamilton, Dane Besneatte and Steve Beeman dug a track at the Chamber of Commerce parking lot, which has some dry dirt areas.

The goal is to do as many moves as possible and not have your car flip over, Johnson said.

Children from the community came out with their cars. Some practiced for days to learn how to control them. The total number of participants was 53 people.

Natalie Nielsen, 7, of Folsom came to spend a few days with her grandmother and joined the event.

I wore out my battery last night, so when we came down today it was dead, she said.

But that was quickly fixed with a new battery and her gold and purple polka dot RC car was ready to go.

Her grandmother, Debra Dingham, who also was at the event as a representative for Remax Gold Johnson Group, couldnt keep a smile off her face.

I am having so much fun, she said. I think watching the kids is my favorite part. They are having such fun.

She pointed out the center of the track with the pit of death, which no car should be able to get out of but they were leaving.

This is a first on so many levels, Dingham said.

The U.S. Army brought a climbing rock for the first-time derby, which will not be the last, she thinks.

Its going to come back next year, bigger, she said.

The grand prize for person with the most points was $1,000 and they had nine $100 prizes, she said.

Volunteers came out to serve food. Women from the Kiwanis offered to paint faces and any tips went toward the clubs fundraiser.

This is going to double each year and just get better and better, Dingham said.

Reach Susan Hiland at 427-6981 or [emailprotected]

See the original post here:
RC Demolition Derby brings community together - Fairfield Daily Republic

Mayors of Detroit have had a unique way of measuring success: By the number of homes they've torn down.

One of former Mayor Dave Bing's signature programs was his pledge to demolish 10,000 homes. When his successor, Mike Duggan, hit that goal last year, he hosted a celebration complete with a sign reading "10,000" on the west side home that was razed.

Duggan has demolished about 11,500 homes and wants to raze another 2,000 to 4,000 per year, making it the nation's largest blight-removal program. The city has received more than $250 million for the effort from the federal government's Hardest Hit Fund of the Troubled Asset Relief Program and through Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

Demolitions are popular among neighbors in a city that's lost more than 1 million residents in 60 years, and where blighted and burned homes can remain nuisances for decades.

But demolitions are also controversial. The Hardest Hit Fund was created to provide mortgage relief to help homeowners who owed more than their homes were worth after the 2008 housing collapse. Steering money toward demolitions denied to it underwater homeowners.

And Duggan's program is the focus of multiple investigations. The federal government has filed subpoenas into bidding practices and demolition costs. A separate grand jury has reportedly subpoenaed as many as 30 contractors and city agencies (Duggan says he's not a target). State officials are advocating fines because contractors mishandled asbestos from razed homes.

What's more, a recent blight survey by Loveland Technologies, a private company that maps the city, questions whether demolition is even keeping pace with blight in Detroit. Vacancies in neighborhoods targeted for demolition have actually increased 64 percent in four years, the survey found.

Originally posted here:
Can Detroit find salvation through demolition? | Crain's Detroit ... - Crain's Detroit Business