Paterson may demolish 13 buildings to combat blight
By Jayed Rahman
Published: February 5, 2020
In an effort to fight blight, mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration has proposed demolishing 13 vacant and abandoned buildings in various parts of Paterson.
Municipal officials will use $344,077 from a zero-interest state loan secured in 2016 to knock down the structures.
Economic development director Michael Powell said the properties are deemed unsafe and hazardous to the community. He said many of these vacant properties are crime magnets.
Powell previously presented a list of 28 properties for demolition to the City Council. He reduced the list to 13 properties, mostly 1-3 family structures, on Tuesday night.
Councilman Flavio Rivera wanted an explanation on what happened to the rest of the properties that were on the list.
Rivera said mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration had told council members the 28 properties had to be demolished in an urgent manner because they were hazardous and presented a danger to the community.
“I need to know what have they done with those properties,” said Rivera.
Powell said he will provide details on each of the properties that were on the list presented to council members last March. The Sayegh administration had submitted the list to the council to seek approval to solicit bids to demolish the properties.
Five companies submitted bids for the work ranging from $344,000 to $644,000. Municipal officials plan to award the contract to Caravella Demolition of East Hanover. Caravella, which submitted a bid for $344,077, is deemed the “lowest responsible bidder” for the work.
Council members will decide whether to move ahead with the demolitions next Tuesday.
Below is a list of the properties slated for demolition:
- 159 Redwood Avenue
- 111 Belmont Avenue
- 199 12th Avenue
- 29 Stout Street
- 83 Franklin Street
- 887 Madison Avenue
- 61 Ryle Avenue
- 238 Summer Street
- 55 Pennington Street
- 99 Pearl Street
- 202 Mill Street
- 11 Sherman Avenue
- 113 Marshall Street.
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