Demolition of abandoned Tarentum houses underway
Three empty houses that have blighted Tarentum’s isolated Davidson Street for years were reduced to rubble Thursday.
“I think it’s long overdue,” said Davidson Street resident Miriam Kengor.
The three empty houses that sit in a row along Davidson Street were among the first of 23 to be torn down under a $171,000 demolition contract the borough awarded in November to Allen Demolition of Wilkinsburg.
Kengor said the Davidson Street houses have been empty for at least 15 years, since the Ivan floods in 2004.
Work on the demolitions started on Tuesday. Under the contract, the company has 60 days to get the work finished, but borough officials have said they’ll be flexible if weather interferes.
“I’m pleased with the speed of the progress so far,” borough code enforcement Officer Anthony Bruni said.
Richard Marchese was working Thursday for Allen on Davidson Street. He said the company would have two to three crews working in the borough at the same time, and that all the houses should be down within a couple of weeks.
Bruni said smaller equipment will be used where the big excavator on Davidson can’t maneuver.
Richard Verner has lived in his Davidson Street house for 30 years and grew up in that area. He said the houses taken down had been in bad shape for a long time, with animals coming in and out of them.
“When we read in the paper that they were going to tear them down, everyone had smiles on their faces,” he said. “It’s about time they tear them down.
“Everybody’s happy to see them houses go.”
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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