Manchester residents press council for answers after Sheffield Street collapse, cite vacant-property crisis

Manchester residents urged City Council on June 16 to address a pattern of vacant and deteriorated properties after the June 11 collapse of 1406 Sheffield Street, which residents said nearly killed neighbors and exposed long-standing enforcement gaps.

"Nine years, you all. Nine years. It sat there rotting while the city did nothing," said Maddie Williams, who identified herself as a long-time Manchester resident and said the condemned building fell onto an occupied neighboring property. Residents described repeated condemnations and long delays that they say left structures unsafe and neighborhoods blighted.

Arthur Casowski, speaking for Manchester Friends and Colleagues, summarized neighborhood research showing many parcels are held by nonresidents and institutions and said the neighborhood lacks a dedicated financial strategy to restore vacant buildings and produce affordable housing. "Much of Manchester is owned by people who do not live in the neighborhood," Casowski said, urging a formal meeting with council to craft a restoration plan.

Council President R. Daniel Lavell responded that condemnation status does not necessarily mean the city owns a property and provided a timeline for 1406 Sheffield: he said the building had been condemned in 2021 but subsequently sold on the open market (he said sales occurred in 2022–2024 and that a demolition permit was submitted in 2024). Lavell also noted that because Manchester is a registered historic district a heavier review process applies to demolition and structural changes, and that community opposition at a 2024 Historic Review Commission hearing complicated the process.

Residents pressed for clearer accountability, inspections of condemned properties, and a funded strategy to return vacant parcels and historic buildings to productive use. Speakers asked council to meet with neighborhood leaders and to develop a realistic financing plan that could include city, nonprofit, and federal resources.

No formal motion or vote addressing the neighborhood plan was reported during the meeting. Council attempted to allow Chief Ikahana (a muted participant) another opportunity to speak but instead proceeded to approve the minutes and adjourn. The residents' request for a dedicated meeting with council and a concrete follow-up was left as an outstanding ask.

The council conversation underscored a recurring tension residents described between condemnation, private ownership, historic-review safeguards, and the pace of enforcement; residents said they want both preservation and public safety addressed promptly.