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Page 4B
NATION
Tuesday, August 2),}
THE BATTALION
15 Philadelphia buildings collaps
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Years
of urban decay are taking a serious toll
on Philadelphia’s once vibrant neigh
borhoods: As many as 15 buildings
have collapsed since Thursday, and
the city believes more than 3,1 (X) oth
ers could fall down at any moment.
All of the buildings that col
lapsed were rowhouses in and
around poverty-stricken North
Philadelphia. All but two had been
abandoned. As a result, only minor
injuries resulted: Two men .were
hurt when a large wooden awning
fell as they were walking by.
Experts are not sure exactly what
caused the rash of building collaps
es but they think it might have
something to do with this summer’s
wet weather. Water can erode joints
and weaken foundations, especially
in houses with leaky roofs or inade
quate downspouts.
“You would be surprised at how
certain things such as having a
downspout on your house, having
your roof inspected — that is what
keeps these properties from col
lapsing,” said Andrea White of the
city’s Department of Licenses and
Inspections.
The problem, though, was years
in the making. Philadelphia’s hous
ing stock has been deteriorating for
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three decades, largely the result of a
population exodus that cost the city
550,000 residents. Philadelphia is
now down to 1.4 million people.
'uesday, August
Jud
clai
We are trying to
get a better handle
on what condition
the buildings are in.”
— Barbara Grant
Spokesperson for Philadelphia's mayor
John F. Street
from $6,5(X) to $11,000 perbui|
“We’re trying to get a better!;
die on what condition thebuili
are in, which is why wfe’re
overfly the buildings. A lot ofli
you can tell if you can see
roofs,” said Barbara Grant
spokeswoman for Mayor Jolt
Street.
The mayor, who has beemti f om t ^ ie L *' el
fice since January, madea$250i Aen, which
lion blight-removal programotr
the centerpieces of his c;
has yet to get off the grown
ientially fata
Under the
Monday, fen
aides promised the money wit PP t0
City officials said Philadelphia
now has about 20,(XX) vacant lots and
more than 30,000 vacant houses. Of
those, more than 3,100 are classified
as “imminently dangerous,” or in
immediate need of demolition.
City inspectors plan to use heli
copters Tuesday to assess the extent of
the problem and look for telltale signs
of buildings in danger, such as rain
water pooled on roofs and trees grow
ing wild from the tops of houses.
The city also plans to step up de
molition from about 30 buildings a
week to as many as 60. The cost ranges
place by fall.
In the meantime, License
Inspections has been using wll
calls “curbside demolition":^
an inspector determines a hoK
about to collapse, the city asf:
fnolition companies to submiii:
on the spot. The low bidderte
work immediately.
From her stoop across theste
Velma McDuffy watched inter
Monday afternoon as an excavat
machine tore into the remainsofti
collapsed rowhouses. The atm
doned buildings caved in
adding another sad chapter toil
gradual, decades-long
McDuffy’s North Philadelf:
neighborhood.
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About 8
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