1501 Elm Street Cleanup

[iwasthere]

sasho did not check the contractor's qualifications before rewarding the demo contract.

[Towntalk]

Had this information been made public earlier via the news media, it would have saved a great deal of agravation for the folks that live in this neighborhood. We take a great deal of pride in our neighborhood and try our very best to be good neighbors, and the building in question was a blight on our efforts as well as being dangerous, and will not be missed.

[northside lurker]

I copied this from the posts of a Wick Park Neighborhood member's Facebook posts: (just posted a few minutes ago)

Here's the update on 1501 Elm.
- 1501 Elm began to collapse on its own, so abatement never happened
- The original contractor started to work on it, but couldn't complete it
- The city is going to push the rest of the property over today, while Mr. Shasho continues to seek a contractor who is able to get rid of the debris

The property is hot-
- Hot properties are full of poisonous things and have to be demoed in a special way
- This property is hot because it was never abated
- The delay in a new contractor is due to the difficulty of demoing a hot property
- A special contractor has to take the debris is special trucks to a special landfill

The contractor issue-
- The old contractor was not prepared for a hot property; that's why they quit
- That contractor hasn't gotten any money from the city for this
- That contractor is banned from future city contracts for leaving a big mess
- It's harder to find a new contractor now because of the hot issue described above

Where is this info from?
- DeMaine Kitchen (Cheif of Staff and head of demos) has been in communication with Marie
- Chuck Shasho (Deputy Director of Public Works) has been in communication with Gary
- DeMaine expressed his appreciation of our cleanup Saturday

The timeline-
- The building will be pushed in a big pile away from the sidewalk today
- The debris will be hauled away by the end of the week

[Towntalk]

Third Ward three blocks north of Wick Park on Elm Street.


L. Nathaniel Pinkard was born and reared in Diamond, Ohio and his family moved to Youngstown in 1961. He is a product of the Youngstown City School System, graduating from The Rayen School. He is a graduate of Kent State University with an Associates Degree and also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Malone College.
Councilman Pinkard was appointed in 1975 as an Air Pollution Technician with the Mahoning-Trumbull Air Pollution Control Agency. In 1979 he was appointed as a patrolman with the Youngstown Police Department. He was appointed to the Mill Creek Metropolitan Park District Police Department in 1981, holding the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, and assistant Chief. Councilman Pinkard retired as the Chief of Police in 2009.

[jay]

In which ward is this problem located?

[iwasthere]

you are shocked and irked that the city the city broke their promise.

[Towntalk]

Here it is, Monday afternoon at 3:36 PM EST and the city has not been to 1501 Elm today as they said they would. Promise broken! 

[Towntalk]

The rubble sitting on the corner of Elm Street and Thornton Avenue, on Youngstown's North Side, had become a nuisance for people living nearby.  A crew started the demolition of the building, but never finished it.

"I thought that it was an ongoing operation," said Richard Robbins, who lives nearby.  "I didn't know they were gonna do half of it."

The debris and remains of the structure have been an eye sore for more than a month now.  So, the local organization Community Colors Co-op decided to step in to clean up the mess.

The group's main concern was the safety of the residents, especially children in the area.

"It's definitely a safety hazard with an open foundation you could just walk right in and fall into," said Jonathan Blackshire, of Community Colors Co-op.

"It's an eye sore," added Robbins.  "It's dangerous.  You got kids coming by here everyday."

"There are toxic substances," said Tim Raridon of Community Colors Co-op.  "It's a place for mischief and all kinds of problems."

The group had planned to clean up as much of the debris and rubble as they could on Saturday, but after they organized the project, the city informed them that a contractor would would be out on Monday to finish the job.

"So, our group decided, hey, we'll at least come out, get the sidewalk cleared up anyhow," said Blackshire.  "We're cleaning up the sidewalk, clearing the bricks up off here.  Just trying to make at least the pathway through here a little bit safer." The rubble sitting on the corner of Elm Street and Thornton Avenue, on Youngstown's North Side, had become a nuisance for people living nearby.  A crew started the demolition of the building, but never finished it.

"I thought that it was an ongoing operation," said Richard Robbins, who lives nearby.  "I didn't know they were gonna do half of it."

The debris and remains of the structure have been an eye sore for more than a month now.  So, the local organization Community Colors Co-op decided to step in to clean up the mess.

The group's main concern was the safety of the residents, especially children in the area.

"It's definitely a safety hazard with an open foundation you could just walk right in and fall into," said Jonathan Blackshire, of Community Colors Co-op.

"It's an eye sore," added Robbins.  "It's dangerous.  You got kids coming by here everyday."

"There are toxic substances," said Tim Raridon of Community Colors Co-op.  "It's a place for mischief and all kinds of problems."

The group had planned to clean up as much of the debris and rubble as they could on Saturday, but after they organized the project, the city informed them that a contractor would would be out on Monday to finish the job.

"So, our group decided, hey, we'll at least come out, get the sidewalk cleared up anyhow," said Blackshire.  "We're cleaning up the sidewalk, clearing the bricks up off here.  Just trying to make at least the pathway through here a little bit safer."

[Towntalk]

Three cheers and a pat on the back for the volunteers who worked on clearing the sidewalk today. The city should hang its head in shame for not doing it earlier, and a triple shame on the Third Ward Councilman for failing to see to it that the city did it earlier.

It still remains to see if the city hires a new contractor to complete the job, and at this point I have little confidence that they will until severe pressure is put on them.

As to complaining to the Councilman, that's like complaining to a brick wall and as useful as trying to turn off a rain storm. You can rid a dog of flees quicker than you can get him to act.

[Towntalk]

There are about 4 men up there right now cleaning up the mess.  Observed at Saturday morning at 10:54 AM EST December 1, 2012.

[Towntalk]

I'll believe it when I see it with my own two eyes, but anyway I'll report on it as soon as I see it happening with my own two eyes since it's just up the street from my house.

The whole mess is a safety hazard for people walking up the street as well as cars in that the store on the corner gets heavy truck traffic during the day, and the bus makes a turn down Thornton during the daytime runs.

[Rick Rowlands]

Latest word is that the city is planning to clean up the sidewalk on Monday, making the volunteer project unnecessary.  I do have to wonder though, did the planned volunteer project put enough egg on the city's face to cause them to act?  Seems very coincidental...

[iwasthere]

where ever this house is in ytown the council rep should donate brk, lunch and dinner for cleaning up the mess that the city leades dropped the ball on this project, no excuses then again they are spending ytown residents's money in boston, a frivolous confence.

[Towntalk]

God Bless You Rick and everyone else who will be involved in the cleanup.

[Rick Rowlands]

Supposed to be a volunteer cleanup of the sidewalk around the partially demolished building at 1501 Elm Street on Saturday.


http://www.facebook.com/events/563890813637281/565233286836367/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity


I am planning to go over there and lend a hand for a while.