Date Not Set for Blocks Demolition
Houses on Brenda Drive and COurt Street will be demolished after UA officials decide what will be laced in the area. (Photo by Shayln Boyle)
The university will delay the demolition of the houses on Court Street and Brenda Drive until they decide what they will put in place of the homes, officials said.
Officials have yet to establish a demolition date for the property, said John Diamond, associate chancellor for University Relations.
“We will begin plans for the demolition within the next three to six months,” he said.
University officials will make plans to “re-purpose” the property before they begin the demolition process, Diamond said. The land will initially be used as a temporary parking lot until a more permanent structure is established.
“We will put a lot of thought into re-purposing that area before we continue the demolition process,” Diamond said. “Our goal is to make the property as profitable as we can. We want to build an efficient establishment without disrupting the surrounding forest and greenery.
“We had to make a decision. Our choice was to either spend money restoring the homes, or invest in a more practical and economical establishment,” Diamond said. “Those homes are older and of poor quality. They are not at the standard the university feels worth investing more money as housing. It’s better use to the university for other purposes.”
The university purchased the property in April 2011.
“When we bought the property our initial plan was to demolish it anyway,” Diamond said.
Residents have been given month-to-month leases since the university purchased the property. Only 6 people still reside on the two streets.
“We’ve fully communicated our plans with the housing management; they are responsible for notifying the residents,” he said.
“Over time, as part of our overall growth, the area of campus will be moving slightly west. Overall we’re trying to make better use of the space that we have,” Diamond said.
