Board denies stay; demolition of 958 Washington Ave. to proceed

The Demolition Board of Appeals voted unanimously Aug. 20 to deny a requested stay of demolition for 958 Washington Avenue and allow a previously approved demolition to proceed.

Chief Building Official Dave Faciana told the Board the property owner had failed to appear for three scheduled hearings and that the property had remained a neighborhood blight for more than a decade. The Board considered staff’s recommendation that the stay be denied. "Motion: To deny the stay of demolition for 958 Washington Avenue and proceed with demolition as previously approved," the record shows; the motion was made by Rachel Woodruff and seconded by Dalton Evans and carried unanimously.

No members of the public addressed the Board on the case when the Chair opened the floor for comment. Chair Rey Carrion later reiterated that the Board follows an established procedure of proceeding when applicants do not appear and asked legal counsel to outline appeal procedures outside the meeting. The Board took no additional actions beyond the vote to proceed with demolition.