‘Clean Sweep’ Program to Demolish Vacant Buildings
Date Posted: June 29, 2018
Posted In: Projects,
From St. Louis Public Radio: The days are numbered for five crumbling buildings in north St. Louis.
As part of the “Clean Sweep” program, hundreds of volunteers will come together on Saturday to demolish vacant homes in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood. The program, spearheaded by Better Family Life and the Regional Business Council, is part of an ongoing community effort to revitalize St. Louis neighborhoods.
“It’s about bringing the soul back into this neighborhood,” said James Clark, vice president of Better Family Life.
Clean Sweep organizers plan to demolish a total of 35 abandoned buildings in north St. Louis this summer.
A total of 11 construction companies have volunteered their equipment and staff to help with the demolition effort, including McCarthy Building Companies and Holland Construction.
“[Vacant buildings] are an extreme safety hazard,” said Craig Lucas, vice president of Kwame Building Group. “You have opportunities for people who want to do bad to use these buildings, and opportunities for residents to get hurt when buildings are falling down.”