May 08, 2024

Following successful D&D program, city looks to redevelopment

By Jamee A

Crews continue working to demolish houses in 300 block of East Fourth Street North Wednesday morning that were purchased through the D&D program. The program, which is coming to the end of its funding, will move onto its next phase of redevelopment and new construction for lots the city now owns. (Jamee A)

Through the Dangerous and Dilapidated program, the city has demolished 48 properties to date, according to Erin Chambers, director of Planning and Zoning, who addressed the Newton City Council Monday.

Since the program began two years ago, it has been one of the most visible examples of the efforts the city is making to clean up problem areas, she said.

“We’ve done a lot of work in the D&D program and now we are moving into the next phase of the program. The vast majority of the funding that has been set aside has been utilized,” Chambers said.

The city has been successfully utilizing three primary tools on the blighted properties — the low-cost purchase of the property and demolition, petitioning the court for ownership of abandoned buildings and the use of notice and order under the 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings.

“Of those 48 properties the city has or will be taking ownership of about 36 of those properties,” Chambers said. “The purpose of the D&D program isn’t to grow the amount of property held by the city government, rather it seeks to eventually return the property back to the tax base.”

To date, the city has sold or agreed to sell five properties in the program. The funds from those sales are then returned back to the program to be utilized on other dilapidated homes.

“As a result of the recent D&D efforts, several larger redevelopment footprints have emerged. For these assembled footprints, staff is working on development concepts that can be used to market the areas to potential developers,” Chambers said.

An example of assembled footprints are found in the 300 block of East Fourth Street North, the 1400 and 1500 block of East Sixth Street South, the 1000 block of East Eighth Street North and the 900 block of East Ninth Street North.

The city recently bought 415 N. Fourth Ave. E., the last of seven properties in an area primed for new construction. For more than a year, the city has analyzed the area as part of the process of setting a strategy for neighborhood improvements through demolition.

“Our building professional Melvin Duncan has worked with Jack Topp of OPN Architects to come up with a design concept for this redevelopment area,” Chambers said. Potential plans include two duplexes and a four-plex.

In addition to the redevelopment footprints, about a dozen individual lots remain, of which about half have potential for redevelopment. Beginning this fall, the city will initiate communication with property owners adjacent to the properties that are not considered for redevelopment due to size or other constraints.

“It would be hoped that those properties could be sold to adjacent property owners, relieving the city of the maintenance liability,” Chambers said.

The city plans to create concept site plans that show potential developers the building size and a potential layout for the properties that are considered for redevelopment. Also, it plans to collaborate with fellow organizations, such as the Newton Housing Development Corporation, to bring home builders to the lots.

“We’re really excited about what we have been able to accomplish for the last several years through D&D and excited to see what is coming forward,” Chambers said.

Council Member Noreen Otto said the money designated for the program was almost completely used, and wondered if that meant the end of identifying properties to be demolished. Chambers said they are not reaching the end of identifying properties and she still has a handful of properties that can be addressed should money return to the program from selling lots.

“For all intents and purposes, this round of work is complete,” Chambers said.

“This is such an obvious, visible project to the citizens of Newton and I think people have really been encouraged by what they have seen the program do,” Otto said. “I think what will be even more encouraging will be when we see the first foundations be poured and structures go up that are new and updated and modern. This is very exciting.”

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com