Trenton, N.J. - On Monday, November 13, the Capital City began one of its largest blight reduction projects by knocking down 54 Sanford Street. This will be the first house of 20, set to be leveled on the street.
Joining Mayor Reed Gusciora at the demolition site were City Council President Teska Frisby, Northward Councilwoman Jennifer Williams, At-Large Councilwoman Jasi Edwards, Mayoral Aide Andrew Bobbitt, Perry Shaw with members of the Trenton Street Team, the Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED) Assistant Administrative Analyst Mike Valiant, and Rev. Dr. John H. Harris Jr.
“I want to thank our City Council and the Department of Housing and Economic Development for their work in getting this project off the ground. The rehabilitation of Sanford Street will lay the foundation for reimaging this entire neighborhood and it will be our goal to enable self-owned affordable residential units. What was once one of the brightest neighborhoods in Trenton will soon return to its glory for all Trentonians" Mayor Gusciora said.
“We’re excited about this project it has been a long time coming. This is going to be transformative for the community by providing quality housing, it is what the City of Trenton needs and deserves. I’m grateful to be working with such an amazing cohort in my fellow council members and the mayor to get projects like these completed,” Council President Frisby said.
“Having a project like this is truly a sign of hope in the City of Trenton. I want to thank Mayor Gusciora, the administration, and my fellow colleagues because it's hard to give people a chance in life to own a home if there are no homes available. In order for us to have safer, cleaner, and healthier, neighborhoods in all four wards of Trenton we need to do this together,” Councilwoman Williams said.
“It’s not easy to have to go through a neighborhood and demolish an entire block of houses, but this is something that was an eyesore not just for the neighborhood but for the entire City. This can now be a part of the transformative change we need here in the Capital City,” Councilwoman Edwards said.
The HED Department initiated a council-approved contract for $545,317 for the demolition of 20 properties on Sanford Street, by Carroll Group, Inc., based in Hamilton, New Jersey under resolution number R23-263. The contract was approved on June 13, 2023. The properties include the addresses of 17, 19, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, and 54 Sanford Street.
This project follows a service model with a Three Phase Plan that includes:
Phase 1 Demolitions [BID2022-49]:
The first phase is to service what's within the city's immediate means of control, in this case, the 20 properties that are City-owned and not attached to any privately owned addresses. Vacant and abandoned properties that are well beyond the means of repair become hotspots for compounding maladies such as economic distress, quality of life issues, and safety concerns to the public. From the Mayor's vision, the City is proactively phasing projects by our agency to initiate projects that can make direct, positive impacts redressing those exact practical and economic issues related to urban blight.
Phase 2 Acquisitions:
The second phase is to acquire the remaining properties on the block that were evaluated as “attractive acquires”. The City is looking to acquire four to five properties on Sanford Street that would ensure that all city-owned properties are not adjoined to a privately owned property and can be demolished to make room for newer and more attractive housing opportunities for present and future Trentonian families.
Phase 3 Demolitions:
After the City has completed the acquisitions, the third phase will start by advertising a bid for the demolition of the remaining properties. All demolitions will include the demolitions of the remaining structure, the removal of all debris per their appropriate classification, and the removal of the structure’s foundations. The lots are then to be filled and compacted with clean fill. The parcel lots will be strawed, seeded, and maintained by the city until appropriate