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Taking a Stand Against Blight
By Mayor Owen J. Quinn, Torrington
The City of Torrington is taking a stand against blight in our community. The City Council has passed a blight ordinance and has formed Blight Committee to address blight in relation to the ordinance.
To augment and assist in the City Council’s efforts, the Mayor’s office has convened a Blight Task Force made up of key city personnel to work on a face-to-face basis with property owners of blighted property. The Blight Task Force’s purpose is to coordinate and concentrate the City’s efforts in dealing with these property owners. In the past, the Building Department, Zoning, Fire Marshall’s office, Police and other departments have all worked independently. By bringing these various departments together, we can more effectively address the problems on an individual property.
Key players on the Blight Task Force are myself, City Council member Marie Soliani, Corporation Counsel Al Vasko, Building Official Frank Cardello, Economic Development Coordinator Christina Emery, Fire Marshall Tim Tharau, City Planner Martin Connor, Zoning Enforcement Officer Kim Barbieri, Police Chief Roger Janelle, and other department heads or individuals as needed.
The Blight Task Force meets once a week, and invites blighted property owners to meet face-to-face with City officials to discuss viable resolutions to their property’s problems. The task force works from a list of eleven blighted properties that have been identified: 17 Britton Ave., owned by Carmine Parisi; buildings at Water and Church St. owned by Charles and John Rhoades; 229 Church St., owned by Charles Rhoades; 10 Highland Ave., owned by Nejaime Ventures, LLC; 155 Park Ave., owned by Wilfred Reil, Jr.; 102 Brook St., owned by Brian Carlson; 521-523 Harwinton Rd., owned by Enoch Little; 89 Borough St., owned by Bruna Fratta; 77 Lewis St., owned by Mark Giorda (who recently purchased the property from Lila Turk); 12 Grove St., owned by Lila Turk; and 476 Park Ave., owned by Edward Gebelein.
One of our two success stories is the property at 102 Brook St., owned by Brian Carlson. Mr. Carlson met with the Task Force and followed its recommendations, and has improved his property to the point where it can be removed from the Blight List. Now he will be able to get the financing needed to complete the building’s renovation. New windows, a new roof and structural improvements were installed on a building that had burnt on Valentines Day 1994. The owner has also obtained all the necessary approvals to turn the structure into a two-family residence.
Another success story is 77 Lewis St, owned by Mark Giorda. Mr. Giorda recently purchased this property from an owner who had allowed the building to decay. For years it had missing and/or broken windows, and the basement was open to the elements. The property had little or no maintenance for a long time. We contacted the owner and concentrated our enforcement efforts on that property, and it has now been bought by a person who is replacing windows and repairing the house to be livable again.
The Blight Task Force will now replace these two properties on the Blighted Property List with new ones, and we will continue our efforts to have property owners take personal responsibility for cleaning up their properties and protecting our neighborhoods from the effects of blight.
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