GARY — The Indiana National Guard is continuing its partnership with the city by knocking down abandoned homes along a stretch of Delaware Street later this year.
Half of the demolitions are considered emergencies due to the condition of the properties, according to Cedric Kuykendall, the city's demolition coordinator.
“We target the properties that have been burned and (are in) imminent danger of collapsing,” Kuykendall said.
LaLosa Burns, spokeswoman for the city, said the National Guard's involvement frees other dollars in the city's demolition budget.
"The project will allow the city to raze more abandoned problem properties than we are currently able to demolish with our in-house demolition crew. It also allows us to work in areas separate from those already identified by the Hardest Hit Fund dollars," Burns said.
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In anticipation of the demolitions, the city’s Redevelopment Commission approved a contract on July 23 with D&R Services to haul away and dispose of debris from the demolition sites under the National Guard Project.
The city currently has four contractors working with Hardest Hit Fund projects, but the city has 11 contractors licensed to bid on demolition projects.
D&R Services will be compensated $120 per truck haul, but the total contract cost is not to exceed $30,000, per contract terms, Burns said.
This year, 14 structures in the 1900 block of Delaware Street will be demolished as part of the National Guard project.
Last year, the National Guard, with the assistance of the city’s in-house demolition department, tore down 22 structures.
The National Guard project is Gary is aimed at eliminating abandoned structures Gary police believe contribute to illegal drug activity. With outside resources and personnel, the city is saving anywhere from $112,000 to $154,000 on these 14 structures, Burns said.
Emergency demolitions under the National Guard Project include 1920, 1926, 1937, 1961, 1972, 1977 and 1984 Delaware streets. A number of non-emergency demolitions are slated for demolition this year, too: 1978, 1956, 1952, 1932, 1988, 1964 and 1948 Delaware streets.
Some of the properties must go through an unsafe building hearing prior to demolition — a time-consuming process that can take six months to three years due to extremely limited funds and constant emergency demolitions taking priority, according to the city. Once they are ordered demolished, the city can tear these down as well.
In-house demos
Gary has more than 6,500 abandoned homes requiring demolition, but the speed at which the city can tear those down depends on funding availability.
Kuykendall said the city’s own demolition department has demolished 63 structures this year to date outside of the National Guard project, with the biggest funding source being federal Hardest Hit Fund dollars.
He said the city has 17 properties scheduled for demolition this year. They are slated for demolition starting Aug. 13.
The city has a $5 million in Hardest Hit Funds available until the end of 2018, though that funding may spill over into 2019, Burns said.
A second account — Fund 474 — was established by Gary City Council in August 2017. About $240,000 has been expended for demolition and debris removal since the account was established, the city said.
Disposal and transportation costs up to $4,000 per demolition, city officials have said. Home demolitions can cost as much as $8,000 to $11,000 depending on the size, condition and other factors.
A spokesperson for the Indiana National Guard did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.