As part of its effort to attack blight in neighborhoods, the Macon-Bibb County Commission approved additional funds in this year’s budget to demolish blighted houses. Four of the 18 identified are ready for demolition, and Commissioners and local leaders will mark this effort with a press conference on Wednesday, January 16 at 11:00 a.m. The press conference will be across the street from the house at 2210 Napier Avenue that will be torn down; after that house is demolished, crews will move on to 2274 Napier Avenue, 883 Maynard Street, and 254 Hydrolia Street.

“In the past several years, we’ve made huge strides in attacking blight and improving neighborhoods through major projects like Henry Burns Park, Filmore Thomas Park, and the Bert Bivins Fire Station, but there is still a great deal more that needs to be done,” says Cass Hatcher, Chief Facilities Development Officer with RiverEdge Behavioral Health, who oversees the county’s blight remediation program. “With this additional funding, we can address these individual instances of blight.”

Of the 18 houses originally identified, 10 are being prepared for demolition (see list below). If there is funding available after the initial 10, more houses will be made ready for demolition.

• 883 Maynard Street
• 837 Peachtree Street
• 2448 Millerfield Road
• 254 Hydrolia Street
• 2795 Barrett Avenue
• 4634 South Beechwood Drive
• 820 Trade Wind Drive
• 2274 Napier Avenue
• 2210 Napier Avenue
• 3739 South Lizella Road