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Philadelphia Housing Authority Beginning Sharswood Construction Project

By Paul Kurtz

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Housing Authority officials are about to wipe away decades of blight and decay that plagued the Sharswood section of North Philadelphia.

It will take all of about 10 seconds for demolition experts to bring down the two 13 story Blumberg Apartment buildings on Saturday morning.

Fifteen low rise buildings will also be brought down so construction crews can begin building more than 15 hundred new homes.

The demolition will signal the start of an ambitious project to transform one of the worst neighborhoods in the city.

"We're looking not only at housing but at education. We're looking at the economics, the amenities. All of the things that drive folks to choose where they live," said PHA President and CEO Kelvin Jeremiah

Jeremiah says anyone who lives in the evacuation zone will have to leave by 6:30 Saturday morning:

"We want to make sure that this is a safe and uneventful implosion and so we have gone door-to-door to talk to every one of the families in the evacuation zone."

A dust zone has also been set up. Anyone still living within those borders must stay inside their homes during the cleanup.

PHA had to relocate more than 500 families for this demolition project, but all have the right to return when the new homes are built.

 

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