Deputy mayor looking to speed up demolition process for city renewal.
Way back in February, we labeled Detroit as Demolition Central following mayor Dave Bing’s pledge to demolish in the region of 3,000 dilapidated and abandoned homes in the “Motor City” during the next 12 months.
This process faltered initially following some last-minute asbestos-related fears. However, these demolitions are now progressing well; in fact, Bing’s second-in-command Bob Buckler has now suggested that the city may raise the stakes.
“Why can’t we create a process,” Buckler asked in an interview this week, “that can do 5,000 houses, 6,000 houses or 10,000 houses in a year?”
“One important thing for a really good leader is to set high aspirations,” said Buckler, the former Detroit Edison president now in his second month on the job as Detroit’s COO. “So my question is, ‘Why can’t we demolish more? Why can’t we set a higher aspiration?’ ”
Such a statement will be music to the ears of Detroit’s demolition professionals.
Read more here.
