New Jersey city seeks demolition activity

The mayor of Camden, New Jersey, has put out bids to demolish 64 abandoned properties and says it is a first step toward her goal of demolishing a total of 598 targeted buildings.

Mayor Dana L. Redd has announced that the city of Camden is currently advertising for bids from contractors willing to demolish the 64 properties, 61 of which are in the same Whitman Park neighborhood.

According to a news release issued by the mayor’s office, the bid is “Phase I of a major demolition initiative that will ultimately seek to demolish a total of 598 abandoned buildings throughout all of Camden’s neighborhoods. Phase II will be a bid for contract work to demolish the remaining 534 abandoned properties.”

Says Mayor Redd, “As a life-long Camden resident, I feel the same way our residents do about vacant and abandoned properties–I don’t like them.” She adds, “Because of my administration’s effort to stabilize our finances, Camden is now poised to undertake the biggest demolition initiative ever attempted in the City or State to substantially reduce the number of abandoned properties in all our neighborhoods.”

Phase I of the demolition initiative will be funded through Community Development Block Grant and Economic Recovery Board funds. The advertised bid is not to exceed $970,000.