YORK, Pa. - People living near a condemned home, full of garbage in York have been demanding in the city tear it down. Thursday, construction crews demolished the blighted property.
Broken windows, old furniture and garbage now fill the home at 218 East Liberty Court.
"We don't want that kind of eyesore around," said Todd Clark, who lives next to the blighted building.
Clark moved into the home behind the building about five years ago. Even then the home was vacant and a hot spot for crime.
"There was a lot of people going in there doing drugs and things like that," said Clark.
The city is now tearing the home down. Deputy Director of Permits, Planning and Zoning Steven Buffington says, the cost of demolition for a row home is usually upwards of $50,000. With that high price tag, the city and redevelopment authority have limited fund available to tear down blighted home. Yet, Buffington says it's extremely important to get condemned homes gone.
"It'll clean up the neighborhood," said Buffington. "It's one more blight off that neighborhood. It won`t be an opportunity for folks to get in and do illegal activities like drugs and prostitution which had been an ongoing issue."
Finally seeing the building coming down, Clark and his neighbors are happy to move forward with hopes to truly revitalize their block.
"We're excited," said Clark. "Everybody in the neighborhood wants it down."
While demolition began Thursday, the building should be completely torn down within the next few days.