The demolition activity fulfilled a pledge he made in his inaugural address to begin an accelerated demolition schedule. About 25 dangerous and abandoned buildings were taken down that day and were part of a list of 90 buildings scheduled to be taken down before the week is over.
Kilpatrick hopes were to demolish more than 5,000 abandoned buildings by 2003.
"The demolition is the first result of our Citywide Emergency Cleanup Initiative, which will be put into full operation once spring arrives," the mayor says. "Our challenge now is to continue the effort to clear these buildings for demolition so that we can take down as many of them as possible before school resumes in the fall."
The mayor says the initial focus of the accelerated demolition program will be to raze buildings within 400 yards of schools.
Kilpatrick says the accelerated demolition program is possible because many people in the city and private sector have identified ways to speed up the demolition process.
"It is a constant process, wherein the necessary approvals are passed from one entity to another on a fast track basis," says Conrad Mallet, Jr., interim chief operating officer for Detroit. "Through constant communication, and computerized response, we are able to process the details in a shorter time frame. Ultimately this means we will be able to demolish more structures in less time."
Last year, the city knocked down more than 2,200 commercial and residential structures. There are still about 9,000 abandoned or dangerous buildings in the city.
Once a structure is razed, the property will be scheduled for clean up within five to seven working days, city officials say.
"After the snow melts in April or May, we begin a citywide cleanup and also a program so the city stays clean after it's cleaned," Kilpatrick says.
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