The Commercial-News, Danville, IL

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July 30, 2007

Demolitions could begin at end of August

City waits on excavator to arrive

BY JENNIFER BAILEY

DANVILLE — Twenty-three utility disconnects have been submitted and property notices issued for the city to start demol-ishing dilapidated structures in August.

But Public Works Director Doug Ahrens said the public shouldn’t expect demolitions to start this week.

“(They’ll start) the latter part of August,” he said.

Joe Gleisner, public works service and operations manager, said one of the things the city is waiting on is to take delivery in the next week or two of a 2006 John Deere track excavator to demolish the structures more quickly.

Aldermen approved purchasing the equipment for $135,000 from Martin Equipment Co. of Tolono.

Funding comes from the city’s demolition bond issue.

The city’s current track hoe is tied up with the yard waste site.

Ahrens said the city could sell the smaller unit at the conclusion of the demolitions.

The new excavator will be able to tackle three-story building demolitions, such as old city hall on Hazel Street if wanted.

“We’ll use our staff on the demolition equipment to perform the actual demolition itself,” Gleisner said.

The city will separate concrete, metals and other materials for the landfill. The city is reimbursed for recycling the metal.

Gleisner said the city can use local trucking contractually for the hauling and supplemental trucking to bring sand back in for the site.

He said for the past three years, the city has completed 15 demolitions per winter using street and sewer personnel in between snow storms, tree trimming and other duties.

Ahrens said the first group of demolitions this month will occur in “Area 1.”

The area is bordered by the CSX railroad tracks on the north, south of Fairchild Street and Bowman Avenue to the west.

Ahrens said the city was divided up into areas for the demolitions because some are larger, multi-unit apartment buildings that will require more time with asbestos abatement.

Those scheduled for the end of the year and early next year, allow for the additional time for inspections and for more contracted work.

“We feel we get the best price as contractor availability is increased in the winter months,” Ahrens said.

The city has about $2 million for an estimated 122 demolitions, after the city council approved an almost $4 million bond issue in January for the accelerated demolition program and to create a centralized public works facility at 1155 E. Voorhees St., the former Illinois Power building.

The city previously would earmark about $154,000 annually for demolitions.

The city already kicked off the 100-plus demolitions with the demolition of 17-23 E. Main St., across from County Market.

City officials won’t talk about specific properties and when they plan to be demolished, prior to spring, due to safety issues and persons taking items from the properties and making them worse eyesores.

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