Seven more South Side houses to be razed to fight crime

Seven more vacant houses, suspected by city officials of being havens for criminals, on the South Side near St. Dominic Church will be demolished shortly as part of “Operation Redemption.”

The city’s board of control approved a $23,059.85 contract today with All Demolition & Co. of Poland to take down 29, 44 and 46 E. Lucius Ave. and 2928, 3006, 3007 and 3111 Southern Blvd. The work should be done in a few weeks.

At an Oct. 2 prayer vigil in response to a series of violent crimes near the church on East Lucius, Mayor Jay Williams vowed to demolish 27 vacant houses near the church by the end of the year.

The houses to be demolished are on Lucius and Auburndale avenues and Southern Boulevard.

Eight are already demolished either by street department workers or the owners of the houses.

The rest are expected to be demolished by the end of the year if there are free of asbestos. If asbestos is found, the work may stretch into the first or second week of January, said Sean McKinney, the city’s commissioner of buildings and grounds.

For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com