First major wave of flood demolitions nearly finished

Demolition contractors have reached the “final few” of the flood-damaged homes in Cedar Rapids deemed an imminent threat to health and safety.

When the last one falls in Czech Village, probably Saturday morning, the total will reach approximately 570 for the year to date.  There are hundreds of severely flood-damage homes that remain standing.  That list includes homes the city purchased in a voluntary buyout program or homes that must come down eventually in the flood-protection safety and construction zone.

But John Riggs, demolition project manager for the city of Cedar Rapids, said the homes on the imminent health and safety threat list represent the worst of the worst.  So wrapping up this part of the process in the flood zone represents a real milestone.

“This was a major step in getting done what the mayor, council and citizens want us to get done.  And this portion is wrapping up and we'll move on to the next step,” Riggs said.

The first demolition in the big push of 2010 happened last March 22

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.  A home on Ellis Blvd. N.W. was the first to come down.  After nearly eight months, the process follows a predictable pattern.  While contractors knock down the building and haul away debris, family members often gather to watch and take a few final photos.

Jim Sixta grew up in a home at 80 21

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Avenue S.W.  He came back from Des Moines to watch the final moments of his one-time family home.  With Sixta's home on the ground, that left exactly seven to go with this particular demolition project.

Sixta said “I remember helping paint the house and now we're seeing some closure, I guess.  It's nice it could finally happen-the end of the chapter at this point.”

A neighbor, Randy Anderson, said he's watched workers on the job in Czech Village for weeks.  The demolition has made a dramatic change in the look of this residential area.  “You can see all the way down the street now, it's different,” Anderson said.

Riggs said there was a bit of a rush to finish up the last of the homes on the “imminent threat” demolition list.  All the homes had to come down and all the work had to get finished by Saturday, November 27

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.  Otherwise, FEMA would not cover the cost.  Riggs said contractors will easily meet that deadline.

One leftover issue from this first big wave of demolitions may also get resolved soon.  Many neighbors complained that contractors left detached garages and other outbuildings standing when they demolished flood-damaged homes.  Riggs said that was due to FEMA rules that wouldn't pay for work on detached structures.

However, he expects the city council the take up a new contract next week that will go back and finish that work.  Riggs said garage demolitions could start in a couple of weeks.

Even though homes on the danger list are all but gone, that won't mean much of a break in flood zone demolitions.  The city of Cedar Rapids estimates the eventual demolition list of residential and commercial properties could reach approximately 1,200 structures.  Riggs said next up are the unrepairable homes the city purchased this year under the voluntary buyout program.  That work could start up before the end of the year.