On Friday, October 21, Macon-Bibb County celebrated reaching the 300th demolition of the ongoing #BlightFight at 3161 Antioch Road. Mayor Lester Miller, and several County leaders joined in the celebration. Click here to watch the full video.
“Removing blighted structures from our neighborhoods is just the first step in improving our neighborhoods, but it’s an essential and hugely impactful first step,” said Mayor Miller. “To have removed 300 of these structures and units in such a short amount of time is an amazingly fast and visible start to improving our neighborhoods.”
In addition to the demolition marking a #BlightFight milestone, it also marks a step in a larger improvement effort for this neighborhood. Two other nearby structures (2782 & 3680 Antioch Road) will be demolished soon. Also, 3161 Antioch Road abuts Cliffview Lake, which is about to undergo a significant improvement project and make it more accessible and usable by people. That improvement project will be paid for with voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds.
“We’re about to really open up Cliffview Lake to people and show them what a gem of a park it is,” said Parks & Beautification Director Mike Glisson. “With blight cleared from its edges, Cliffview Lake will not just be a more beautiful space, more people will be able to see what it has to offer.”
One of Mayor Miller’s early actions (based on community feedback) was to be more proactive with removing blight from neighborhoods, especially since there were blighted structures that had sat vacant and deteriorating for nearly a decade. The #BlightFight began in April 2021, and between then and December 31, 100 structures and units were demolished. To reach 200 by October 2022 puts Macon-Bibb significantly further ahead of schedule than the previous year.
“There’s a real chance we reach 400 this year, especially as our crews continue their lightning pace and we check on the properties people have indicated they would tear down on their own,” added Mayor Miller.