MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
A West Montgomery eyesore could soon be no more in a matter of months.
City leaders are one step closer to tearing down the Cloverland Gardens apartment complex on Delano Avenue.
A group of private contractors assessed the cost to remove asbestos from the units.
The Cloverland Gardens apartments haven't always looked like this.
"In '92 it was pretty nice at the time," says Carlton Mitchell.
Mitchell used to live there. Now, he can't stand to look at it.
"You just look over there and hope nothing comes outa there," says Mitchell.
Nearby homeowner, Jackie Robinson, agrees.
"It's a ghost town. They need to just go ahead and demolish it," says Robinson.
"It's something that we're not proud of," adds Montgomery Deputy Mayor Jeff Downes.
Downes says ever since the apartments were condemned roughly five years ago, the city has been trying to work with the owners.
They repaired some units a few years ago. But now?
"[They] have basically abandoned the site."
Because vandalism and deterioration made the property a public safety hazard and the owners aren't making mortgage payments, Downes says the city and bank have license to demolish it.
That means removing the asbestos first and it could cost $300,000 dollars.
"We've had early conversations with the bank and they're willing to be a partner on this."
Nearby residents say they've heard promises for years that something would be done with the blighted property. But city leaders also say with so many players involved, it just can't happen overnight.
"You have to go through a bid process. You have to make sure all the procurement laws are followed and that takes time."
"I say bulldoze it, clear it out even put in some low income housing," says Robinson.
"[A] little shopping center or you know an old folks home," adds Mitchell.
Deputy Mayor Downes says if the asbestos removal goes according to plan, the apartments could be demolished in a few months.
He says the city would most likely burn them using it as practice for the fire department.
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