Residents press city on deteriorated Broadway properties; administration points to redevelopment plan and pending demolition

At the Oct. 22 meeting a resident displayed photographs and urged the council to address unsightly and hazardous conditions at multiple Broadway properties.

John Connesenti presented exhibits and said roofs and foundations were failing, trees were growing from building gutters and yards were overgrown at 129, 147, 149 and 155 Broadway. He said he had attempted to contact city departments and asked whether fines or court action had been pursued. "They either got an elastic or they have it in metal... all that stuff is coming down on the 2 buildings," Connesenti said while describing broken sheeting and 'rotting, deteriorated' parts.

Business Administrator Rick Fernandez responded that the city had provided notice to the property owner and that photographs shown to the council were taken Oct. 15. Fernandez said the council previously passed a redevelopment plan that now includes the three buildings and that the owner intends to demolish the structures as part of a larger redevelopment project. Fernandez cautioned that demolition and redevelopment require funding and approvals and may be delayed by current economic conditions.

Council members and the resident briefly debated whether the photographs showed the front or back of the buildings and whether inspections and remedial work were complete; a council member noted many of the pictured areas were improved from prior conditions. The meeting record shows no immediate enforcement action was announced at this session; administrators asked to follow up with more detailed status and timelines.

The council later introduced an ordinance (No. 37) adopting a redevelopment plan for Blocks 3212 Lots 21 and 23 (91–95 Paulson Avenue) and scheduled a second and final reading for Dec. 2, 2025.