PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Four properties are slated to be demolished in the coming week.

 

The city will be razing 14 Parker Ave., 33 Francis Ave., 35-37 Circular Drive, and 11 Goodrich St. in an effort to combat blight.

 

"My administration is committed to the work of fighting blight in the City of Pittsfield. The demolition of property is not an action that we take lightly. There are many steps that have to occur before demolition is slated," said Mayor Linda Tyer. "That said, we know that business and neighborhood blight diminishes property values, and that impacts the well-being of our community as a whole. It's vitally important that we continue to be proactive about this issue to ensure our city’s continued success."

 

The properties were chosen by the city's "code enforcement team" consisting of the building inspectors and Fire, Health, and Engineering departments. The team meets monthly with representatives from Community Development, the city solicitor, and the Purchasing Department. 

 

"These properties rose to the top of the list because they posed major concerns," Laurie Mick, the city's community development specialist, said. "The city gives the owner every opportunity to do the right thing and maintain the property, but when that doesn't happen, we have to set our sight on keeping the neighborhood safe."

 

These demolitions are being paid for through the federal Community Development Block Grant program. Last year, five other properties saw the wrecking ball through this process.

 

"It is good to see the city departments working in a cooperative spirit in order to fight blight in our community. Our first order of business is not to eliminate housing, but to preserve the current housing stock. This is why every property is carefully scrutinized by the board before action is taken to demolish a property," Building Inspector Gerald Garner said. 

 

"If possible, we try to encourage individuals to renovate homes by directing them to economic resources if available, or redevelopment through our receivership program."

 

The city is also working on developing the next round of properties, which will come down later this year.