Detroit Demolition Week begins as vacant houses are torn down bit by bit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Vacant properties across Detroit were torn down as part of the city's Demolition Week, an initiative to get residents more involved in efforts to improve the appearance of their neighborhoods.

Local perspective:

On Monday, those residents got a front-row seat of a demolition on the city's west side, where a home had been vacant for four years on Alpine, filled with asbestos, after a fire made it un-salvageable.

Now, residents like Sandra, who lives next door, watched as a crane crushed it to pieces. She told FOX 2 she felt relief when it went down.

"You don’t have to worry about what could be in the home, what could be coming out of the home," she said.

It's a common thought citywide, even for those working on the city’s construction and demolition team. That includes Director Tim Palazzolo.

"A house that’s vacant and open to trespassing, open to the elements only causes hazards for people, and we want to make sure we eliminate those hazards," he said.

By the numbers:

The demolition team gets about 20 calls a day about reported eyesores from the community. FOX 2 was told they have about a few thousand demolitions planned in 2024 alone. Many of their properties are handed over by the Land Bank.

"Under proposal and our target was 8,000, and we’re getting there. Actually, we expect to hit our 8,000 mark later this year in the summer," Palazzolo said. "We’re really kind of the last resort."

While the crew plans for more possible demolitions along Alpine, the neighborhood is now hopeful for the future.

What you can do:

The city’s construction and demolition team is hosting public events all week long for Demolition Week.

If you are interested in what is going on or wonder how you can get involved, you can go to the city website by tapping here.