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Updated
September 26, 2007
Reprinted from the Times Union
City razing 5 vacant buildings
Collapse fears spur Albany to act on Alexander Street; couple's home endangered
By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer
First published: Thursday, September 13, 2007ALBANY -- The city was in the process of tearing down five vacant buildings on Alexander Street in the South End Wednesday night, declaring them an imminent risk to public safety.
The decision came the day after water from one building flooded the home of Rebecca and Robert Lawson Jr., forcing them out of 45 Alexander St. where they have lived for 38 years. The ceiling in the living room crashed down, narrowly missing their 1-year-old great-grandson, and the light fixtures filled with water.
The deluge also forced the city to declare their home uninhabitable until repairs are made -- if it survives the destruction of the homes around it.
Late Wednesday the city was removing 41, 43, 47, 49 and 51 Alexander St. -- which all date to the 19th century. Fire Chief Robert Forezzi said it was the largest number the city has demolished at once that were not involved in a fire.
"There is collapse, there is weakened floors, there is mold in these houses," Forezzi said. "They are an imminent threat to the public. Once my engineer tells me it's a danger to the public, we act quickly."
On either side of the Lawsons' home are three vacant buildings, all but one of which the city intended to demolish.
"We hope the Lawsons' house can sustain the impact of these demolitions," Forezzi said before the work began. No decision had been made to remove the Lawsons' home as of late Wednesday.
Vernesia Mendoza of Queens owns 43 Alexander St., where Forezzi said the water that saturated the Lawsons' home originated. Mendoza said she was unaware of any leaks and planned to come up this weekend to check out the premises. She was stunned to learn her property was slated for immediate demolition.
"I'm going to have to talk to my lawyer," she said. "I don't like the sound of this."
She and the other owners will be billed for the demolition cost, which Forezzi said averages $18,000 each.
Rebecca Lawson said the city told her that she might lose the home she and her husband bought in 1979.
"We've got a few hours to try to get out everything we can," she said earlier Wednesday before the razing began. She later described herself as "flabbergasted" at the scene around her.
A claims adjuster, Christopher Kieper, came to the Lawsons' home and was hired by them to maximize the payment from their insurance company. He also brought in ServiceMaster, a firm that specializes in fire and water damage restoration, to help clear the house of belongings before demolition began.
Forezzi said water leaks left the five buildings around the Lawsons' property too damaged to remain.
"The weather affects these buildings if they are open," he said. "Once the roof is open, and you have rainstorms and snowstorms, it doesn't take long."
From the street, the sky was visible through upper windows at 51 Alexander St. before the demolition began.
"These buildings are a danger not only to the public but to my firefighters," Forezzi said. "God forbid a fireman ever kicked that door in in a smoke condition, he would drop through the floor."
Susan Holland, executive director of Historic Albany Foundation, walked through three of the five buildings Wednesday morning. She had hoped to save the facade of 51 Alexander St., but Forezzi said it was rotted and had to come down.
Most neighbors said they were glad to see the vacant houses go. A report done by the city last October that recorded every vacant building in the city listed 20 of them on Alexander Street.
"I am so happy. I hope they can save the Lawsons' house," said the Rev. John Miller, pastor of Evangelical Protestant Church, who lives at 53 Alexander St. "I'd like to see the empty lots rebuilt with affordable housing units."
Teresa Dedrick, who lives at 56 Alexander St., said she would like to see either homes or a park.
"These houses need to be taken down or fixed up," she said. "It's dangerous."
One neighbor, who declined to give his name, said he was upset.
"We never see them when people just want the money to fix their roof," he said. "At one time we did have grants but now you don't get anything. Even if they gave out no-interest loans, people could fix their buildings. It just unnerves me they think nothing of demolishing these buildings."
Louis Velez Sr., who has lived in the neighborhood for seven years, said the city should have acted sooner.
"They have to wait for a tragedy to happen like this for them to get into action, and that's a shame," he said.
Holland said she hopes the demolition serves as a chance to save other buildings like them.
"It is so unfortunate that these buildings have gotten into this condition," she said. "When I walk into a building and the roof has collapsed and the walls are coming down, how did we get there?
It's time to take some action to change our legislation, change our public policy and get some funds in here to fix these buildings."
O'Brien can be reached at 454-5096 or tobrien@times union.com.
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