TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The day that neighbors on Rockwood Place have been waiting for finally arrived on Friday.
Demolition of a burned-out and abandoned house began in the morning and continued for a few hours.
WTOL's Call 11 For Action team first reported on the problem in this central Toledo neighborhood back in August.
The house at the address of 2928 Rockwood Place burned in a fire in June of 2013, and sat there for two years until Johnnie Davis, a neighbor living across the street, contacted Call 11 For Action.
The team got the city's Division of Code Enforcement to reassign an inspector to the case and the Lucas County Land Bank had acquired it and got it ready for demolition.
With every swat of the Caterpillar on Friday, the nuisance house crumbled away.
Davis eagerly watched it happen.
"Oh, I ran back in there and I said to my son, 'Oh, they're gonna to do it today! They're gonna do it today!' I said we need to celebrate. And I hugged my friend on Robinwood," said Davis.
Other neighbors also couldn't resist watching it happen. The upper floor came down first and then the crew turned their attention to the ground level. Much of the debris was then loaded into a dumpster.
By Saturday, all of the debris should be cleared and grass seed will be planted.
"I am so proud it is down and I'm tired of inhaling the fumes from it when it would rain and it all comes in my house. There's a real blessing to me. If my husband were living, he'd be so happy," said Davis.
Lucas County Land Bank Board Chairman Wade Kapszukiewicz said it's a victory for the land bank and the residents.
"Nothing good comes from having a burned out, vacant, blighted house on your street. It hurts, first of all, your bottom line because it lowers the property value of your home," said Kapszukiewicz.
Kapszukiewicz said the next door neighbor will have the first rights to buy the property from the Land Bank and could do so for the low price of $100.
Johnnie Davis hopes that whoever takes over the property, will keep it up and help improve the neighborhood.
You can reach Call 11 For Action for any problem you're having at (419) 255-2255.
