The city of Scranton started it's blight program a few years ago to rid the city of vacant and eyesore properties. Wednesday city crews took down two more and residents were relieved to see it happen.
Around 10 a.m. an excavator tore through a vacant apartment house on Marvine Avenue in Scranton's north end. It had become an eyesore so the city condemned it and demolished it.
The city's blight program also set its sights on a vacant home on Heerman Avenue. Neighbors said no one has lived in the place for at least four years.
"Great, it's about time. You don't know what was in there. Skunks, everything," said neighbor Ann Kearney. She was relieved to see city crews knocking down the place just a few doors down from hers.
The people who live in the the neighborhood were especially nervous about the home because of the history on this block. Just a few years ago, there was another vacant house and it burned.
City fire inspectors confirm the house that used to be there was torched. It too was knocked down by the city's blight team.
"I was worried. Our grandchildren sleep here sometimes on the weekends. So I was little nervous they'd set this on fire too and they did. They had a mattress on fire one time in there," said neighbor Same Cortes.
He added he will sleep easier now knowing the shack next door is gone. "I was very happy," Cortes added.
City officials said they are going to try to knock down one blighted property a week. If all goes well that's about 50 eyesore properties cleaned up in Scranton.
Around 10 a.m. an excavator tore through a vacant apartment house on Marvine Avenue in Scranton's north end. It had become an eyesore so the city condemned it and demolished it.
The city's blight program also set its sights on a vacant home on Heerman Avenue. Neighbors said no one has lived in the place for at least four years.
"Great, it's about time. You don't know what was in there. Skunks, everything," said neighbor Ann Kearney. She was relieved to see city crews knocking down the place just a few doors down from hers.
The people who live in the the neighborhood were especially nervous about the home because of the history on this block. Just a few years ago, there was another vacant house and it burned.
City fire inspectors confirm the house that used to be there was torched. It too was knocked down by the city's blight team.
"I was worried. Our grandchildren sleep here sometimes on the weekends. So I was little nervous they'd set this on fire too and they did. They had a mattress on fire one time in there," said neighbor Same Cortes.
He added he will sleep easier now knowing the shack next door is gone. "I was very happy," Cortes added.
City officials said they are going to try to knock down one blighted property a week. If all goes well that's about 50 eyesore properties cleaned up in Scranton.
