JACKSON, Mich — Demolition crews are making quick work of the old factory behind me here on North Street that burned down two years ago.
WATCH THE DEMOLITION — AND REACTIONS:
It's a story we've been following since fire gutted the century-old factory building in August 2023.
Now, demolition is underway — much to the relief of neighbors living next to the site.
"I am so very happy," says neighbor Sue Smith. The site is visible from her house.
"The City and the County came together, worked together collaboratively, applied for the grant, got it. It's taken about a year to finally see the action here," says County Commissioner Corey Kennedy.
City Manager Jonathan Greene echoed the sentiment: "One of the greatest things that comes about this is the partnership between the City of Jackson and the County of Jackson in restarting our land bank."
A $3 million grant from a state program is being used to demolish and clean up the site.
I asked Kennedy whether this land will be cleaned up to a point where it can be safely redeveloped by private or public owners.
He replied: "I believe so. It's going to be buildable. And it's in a nice area that we've really been building up."
County tax records show the factory is owned by Commercial Exchange, Inc., which lists Laurice LaZebnik as President. I reached out to LaZebnik about the property. She said it now belongs to the City of Jackson. But City Manager Jonathan Greene says that's not the case.
Whatever becomes of this property in the future, neighbor Sue Smith is just happy she'll soon have a much nicer view from her front porch:
"It's been such an eyesore for two years. We're glad it's coming down."
