28/22 coverage calls attention to blighted property

EDWARDSVILLE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Blighted properties plague many area communities one such problem property in Luzerne County was the focus of a recent 28/22 news report.

That property was torn down, and officials say our coverage helped call attention to the problem and safety concerns. Fighting blight is a community effort that improves quality of life one project at a time.

This pile of rubble is all that’s left at 31 Plymouth Street in Edwardsville. After 10 years, the dilapidated home was torn down Tuesday morning.

“It was a menace. it was nothing but cats, and rats, terrible, absolutely terrible. it took them long enough to knock it down, but finally, finally, it’s down,” said Jack Coslett a neighbor.

Coslett has a view of the property from his backyard. He and other neighbors in the area have been waiting for this day.

“I felt very good, I knew it was going to happen. I couldn’t wait just to come out and watch it,” says Coslett.

David Saraka is Edwardsville’s building inspector. He says the biggest obstacle is usually obtaining ownership of the blighted properties.

“Most of the time, these properties are bought from out of state, I have no contact or they refuse any contact with us, and once they realize we’re trying to get in contact with them to maintain the property, they sell it to someone else who doesn’t know they have those kinds of problems coming at them,” explained Saraka.

The process takes time, but Saraka says raising awareness about blight helps the cause.

“Any time it’s on the news, we got a lot of positive feedback about it, and it does help even with borough officials, and everyone else, to see that we’re not turning a blind eye to it,” stated Saraka.

Another property on Green Street here in Edwardsville is set to be demolished later this week.

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