Bay Park house demolished by Town

Hempstead Town Supervisor Anthony J. Santino and Councilman Anthony D’Esposito were on hand to oversee the demolition of 18 North Boulevard in the Bay Park section of East Rockaway, a house that has been a blight on the community for more than five years.

Mary Malloy/Herald

The Town of Hempstead had a house demolished at the corner of North Boulevard and Rhame Avenue last Thursday morning — a structure that was considered to be a blight on the neighborhood.
“Our homes are one of our greatest assets, and neighbors should not have to worry about their property values being impacted by a vacant, dilapidated house in their community,” said Supervisor Anthony Santino, as a bulldozer plowed through the one-story cottage in the background. “Our building department worked diligently, trying to get the property owners of 18 North Boulevard to secure and repair this house, but we have reached a point where demolition is the only viable solution for the safety of our residents.”
The Town of Hempstead was contacted by the Nassau County Police Department in early 2011 about this vacant home, which was filled with cats. The TOH building department and animal control officers responded at that time, and secured the house. The building department sent violation notices to the property owner. Over the next few years, Town inspectors routinely returned to the property to ensure that it remained secure for the safety of the neighborhood, while simultaneously attempting to persuade the owners and the financial institution, which had an interest in the property to address the home’s blighted condition.
The house went into foreclosure and the TOH scheduled a structural survey as part of the town’s dangerous buildings proceedings, also known as a Chapter 90 proceeding. It was determined that the house was substantially damaged, unsafe and it presented a public nuisance. The financial institution that held the mortgage on the property was given time to demolish it, but failed to move forward, according to Town officials. As a result, the town proceeded with its own demolition. After holding a public hearing and approved demolition of the property, noting that it was a blight on the community.
“Taking positive steps to make our communities safer is an important part of the job performed by local officials,” said Councilman Anthony D’Esposito. “I am pleased that we were able to bring a positive conclusion to a situation that had troubled Bay Park neighbors for a long time.”