City development director, Crystal Surdyk, reported at the meeting that there was “a little guffaw” with the contractor’s permits but after that, demolition work on Fulton Street was good to go, and one house on the ground as of Monday. Three houses on Fulton Street are set to come down this round.

“The second round is in process, they’re finishing up,” Surdyk said. “I would say the next batch of bids to go out for the actual demolition should be going out any day. Everything else has been completed.”

Councilman Russ Bonfiglio, R-At Large, thanked the Department of Development on the work they have been putting in towards demolitions, and acknowledged that while it seems to others that the work was not getting done, it is a process that takes time.

Conversation then turned to the currently paused state mandate that all new builds will have to be electric in 2026, and what that might mean for some of the houses that will be built in the place of the condemned houses in the future. Surdyk said as of right now it is hard to say but she believes all electric houses are still in the future, and that for now the new builds can still put in gas.

Demolition work will continue on Fulton Street with three more houses to come down in round one and four in round two. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

“It had not yet officially changed and this will delay that change further out, and we have to follow the code regardless of what changes,” Surdyk said. “I think it gives municipalities and probably the state some more time to make that transition, but that transition is ultimately coming, that’s going to be the future.”

She added that she does not see gas being eliminated but sees electric changes coming. More conversation about the paused mandate continued, including on giving people choice for what they want in their houses and that the city is fortunate to have their own electric plant, giving city residents lower rates than other places, along with infrastructure funding possibilities that the Department of Development is still waiting to hear back about. The department also had a grant that was planned to be used on the city’s 19A properties to meet the state’s climate protection act goals to make those types of upgrades that was rescinded. Surdyk said the department is still looking to do something like that in the future.

Conversation then moved to infrastructure needs in the Fulton Street neighborhood and similar neighborhoods that demolitions are being done on. Surdyk said on Fulton Street there are seven houses to come down in a two-block area, and before anything can be built on any site after demolition the site will have to be hooked back up to utilities it will be the property owner’s responsibility to put new sewer, water, gas and electrical lines in to the structure. Grant funding from the Pro Housing Fund application will allow the department to be able to do that.

“All of that infrastructure is going to need to be replaced anyway, and it will also do sidewalks, new mill and overlay on all of the streets, curbs, trees, you know really repair all of the street and streetscape infrastructure that needs to be replaced,” Surdyk said.

Surdyk added that the hope is that they will find out about this funding any day, but she would expect to hear back no later than the first week of December. If this funding is not received they will be looking at other options to still be able to get the work done, and in the meantime the department continues to look for additional funding, including through a Pro Housing Technical Assistance grant through Homes and Community Renewal that the city is looking to apply for in collaboration with the county, who is also looking to apply. The applications will be separate but they will be looking to bolster each other and show the investment in housing that is being made county-wide with an emphasis on the city.

Demolition work has begun on Fulton Street. Pictured is the site where one condemned house used to sit that has now come down. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

It was also noted that four more houses will come down on Fulton Street in round two, which is expected to start soon and not something that will have to wait until next year. Demolitions on Cross Street, another neighborhood in need in the city, are partially done as well.