Ross Commissioners Vote to Demolish Two Homes, Process Could Take a Year

Ross Township Commissioners voted 8-0 Monday night to authorize the demolition of homes at 135 McIntyre Road and 106 9th Avenue in Laurel Gardens.

"These houses are condemned," said Township Manager Doug Sample. "I haven't been inside either one personally, but from what I read, the one on McIntyre is so bad, a person could fall through the second floor."

The McIntyre property is valued at $156,200 according to the Allegheny County Real Estate web site. The property on 9th Avenue has a value of $45,200.

Both properties are abandoned, and Sample said once the homes are torn down, if someone is interested, they could try to purchase the property and rebuild.

“We put a lien against the property to recoup our costs of the demolition," he said. "After that, anyone is welcome to go to the owner, the bank, whomever is the legal owner, and purchase the vacant lot.”

Ross pays 15-percent of the demolition costs, the rest comes from a federal community block grant, administered by Allegheny County.

The entire process is lengthy, and Sample said it would likely be a year before these homes are demolished.

Ross Commissioners voted in June of 2012 to tear down homes at 578 Cyrano Avenue and 814 Quaill Avenue, and those homes are still standing today.

"We have to rebid the demolition work," said Sample. "No one even offered a bid the first time around."
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In other action, the commissioners voted 8-0 to allow overnight work from July 15 - 19 work on the Levi Duff Bridge, which carries Center Avenue over the Parkway North/I-279.  

Extensive renovation of the bridge began in March. 

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