DETROIT (WWJ) - It's almost demo day for a former elementary school in southwest Detroit after it caught fire multiple time in the two months since it was shuttered.
The now abandoned and charred remains of Frank Beard Elementary School near I-75 and Springwells is finally scheduled to be knocked down Friday in the city's effort to combat blight, officials said.
“Our mission is to protect and promote the health, safety and welfare of Detroit Neighborhoods,” Detroit Demolition Department Deputy Director Tim Palazzolo told WDIV.
Some residents in the area said it's about time as the crumbling building has negatively impacted the area, especially after it was burned down in July and yet again in August.
“It’s hard to make your place look good when you got this next to it. It’s unfortunate it did burn down but it is what it is,” Abel Jones told WDIV.
For others, like Rosalinda Garza, it marks the end of a once-bustling school within the community.
“It’s still heartbreaking, especially when it’s another school closed. It’s sad, but when it’s burned and abandoned, it’s even sadder. You hear like sirens, so you just say what else is burning or something that’s been burning again,” Garza said.
City officials made the decision to bring down the building a nearly a week since demolition began on the historic Packard Plant.
“We want to eliminate blight in the neighborhoods around here," Palazzolo explained. "This is a great neighborhood. Obviously, there’s a lot of investments going on in this area."
Detroit Demolition Department Director LaJuan Counts told WDIV that there are over 300 commercial properties in the city that officials are looking at tearing down and another 400 that may or may not end up on the demo list.
The property that Frank Beard Elementary School sits on is owned by the Detroit Public Schools Community District -- officials said it's now up to them to decide what will happen to the space.
Related
