If all goes as planned, six dilapidated homes will be demolished this year in Tarentum, clearing what council called significant eyesores and hazards from the borough.
Work would bring the total to 60 structures razed since council began its anti-blight fight in 2020.
“Eventually, most of the blighted properties will be down, and we can concentrate on building,” said Code Enforcement Officer Anthony Bruni.
The first three homes eyed by council include one house that is so bad, the floors are compromised because rain has leaked through the roof for years, Bruni said.
Council is expected to approve the initial list in June.
It includes 110 W. 11th Ave., 338 W. 10th Ave. (rear) and 1219 Pitcairn St.
“All are abandoned, several years delinquent in taxes and are in severe disrepair,” Bruni said.
The house along West 10th Avenue is particularly bad, he said, because a hole in the roof allowed rain inside, which created heavy mold.
Council members said multiple attempts have been made to reach all of the property owners.
Manager Dwight Boddorf said asbestos testing showed two of the three properties have it.
“The property on West 11th and West 10th have more than the maximum allowable square feet of asbestos-containing material, so they will require a permit from Allegheny County Health Department and the asbestos must be removed before demolition,” he said.
The Pitcairn Street house did not have enough asbestos to require remediation.
The total cost for testing was $1,350.
Council decided in recent years to crack down on property owners where the homes have code violations that create hazards.
In 2021, more than two dozen abandoned homes were demolished. Last year, there were about eight on the list to come down, including one that had rotten wood and holes in the eaves where raccoons crawled into the house.
Boddorf said council budgeted $75,000 for demolition this year and is hoping to be able to tear down all six buildings.
More than half of that amount — $39,000 — was spent in February to bring down a three-story building at 215 Corbet St.
Ron Gillette Inc. of Harrison completed the work.
“We, hopefully, have enough to do three and maybe even all six,” Boddorf said.
