>The vacant house and garage on Village owned property at 54 South Monroe
Street will both be demolished within the next 2-3 weeks. This will permit
the long awaited expansion of Citizens Park.
Several years ago, Village Council members approved the purchase of 54 South
Monroe from the Bozo family. A strategy was formulated to promptly demolish
both structures, and subsequently expand the adjacent park. Because rather
immediate action was envisioned, no plans were made to lease the home
(unlike what is being done at Habernickel Park).
However, West Side Presbyterian Church parishioners successfully petitioned
Council members to purchase the main structure for $1.00. Church members
had hoped to move the structure to nearby South Hillside Avenue, and use it
as a rectory. Unfortunately, the Church ran into zoning issues and was
forced to withdraw its proposal.
The Fly has learned that a contractual agreement between the Village and
West Side Presbyterian mandated that the church assume all demolition costs
if the house was not moved within an agreed upon time period. In actuality,
Council members graciously stood by as the time period lapsed significantly.
Now however, since all options for relocating both structures have failed,
Council members are left with no choice other than to ask that terms of the
agreement be honored.
Estimated costs for the demolition project will exceed $20K. It is not
known whether the Church will be paying these charges from operating funds,
or if a donor has stepped forward.
>I think the town dupped the church into this deal so they wouldn’t have to do it and save 20k to piss away on some meaningless project.
Wait till they find asbestos, around the old boiler and pipes, the cost will skyrocket.
The town inspectors know this too.
When the town purchased the house didn’t they plan to take it down anyway? That must have ment that the had the money in the budget to do this.
WHERE’S THE MONEY NOW?
>Hasn’t West Side learned yet that the Village is run by Village Idiots?
>no they are not idiots,they are just cheepos.
>If the church was smart they would sue the village after that disgraceful firefight attempt.
>This property was also supposed to be moved to the corner of Monroe and Godwin as per an agreement between McAvey LLC and the Town. Since the town dragged their feet in the variances involved, McAvey pulled the plug on the deal and walked after so much time elapsed.
>9:57pm… check your facts. This builder tried to get a sweetheart deal from the Village, waving all required zoning variances if he’d “take this house off the church’s hands” … once he knew he’d face opposition, he backed out, leaving the church high and dry, and his close friends within the village government with egg on their faces.
Check your facts before you post.
>Has this house been taken off of the tax roll, or has someone been paying the property taxes?
>8:57…Check your facts!
Where in the world would you be able to quote,””take this house off the church’s hands” ..
Joker!
BWAHAHAHAAAaaaaaaaa!
>”Has this house been taken off of the tax roll, or has someone been paying the property taxes?”
It’s been off the tax rolls since the Village purchased the property several years back.
>It amazes me that the village idiots refused to let the church move the house up the hill onto it’s own property.
Another beautiful old home destroyed because of stupidity by our elected officials.
Only in Ridgewood…
>Why the heck did they sell the house to the church in the first place if they knew that it couldn’t be moved to the site on church property?
HEY LAWYERS!!!
How about a donation of free legal advice to the church on this subject.
I think the church got screwed and the town picked up 20Grand.