The building at the top of the Pottsville Blight and Nuisance Task Force list, dubbed "the worst of the worst," may come down next week, City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said Tuesday.
The row home, 674 N. Second St., is owned by Said Attalla, Mississauga, Canada. It sustains constant damage from exposure because its front door is broken off its hinges.
The task force discussed the project at its first meeting of 2014 held Tuesday morning at City Hall.
In late 2013, the city developed a program to demolish properties singled out by the task force, a team of city officials and community representatives formed in April 2012.
In October, the city council decided to knock down seven. So far, Northeast Industrial Service Corp., Shamokin, was hired to knock down 407 W. Laurel Blvd., owned by Apt. & Acquisitions, at a cost of $20,750, Palamar said.
Northeast Industrial was also hired to knock down 235 Pierce St., owned by Tina Brown, at a cost of $15,350.
The council awarded five demolition contracts to Penn Earthworks, Hazleton. Following are the names of the owners of those properties and the cost of the demolition projects: 674 N. Second St., Attalla, $19,850; 439 Fairview St., Joseph Yutz Jr., $16,300; 433 Fairview St., Andrew Chillemi, $18,800; 303 N. Ninth St., Garage Flex LLC, $19,850; and 657 N. Second St., Investment Property Cheap, $17,770.
To date, the task force has 380 properties on its list. And since September, the task force has issued 245 Quality of Life tickets. Of those, 128 were paid, 77 became citations, 19 were appealed, 10 were voided and 11 remain unpaid, according to the agenda handed out at Tuesday's meeting.