House on 4th Street Will Be Demolished

City officials moved ahead this week with plans to demolish a former residence on 4th Street for future redevelopment projects.

In 1992, the city purchased the house at 7371 4th St. to make way for a commercial development that would have covered 25 acres at Manchester and Artesia boulevards, said May Hui, assistant director of developer services. That project was never built, however.

The city has already demolished a half dozen properties that it acquired at the same time on the street.

The City Council this week agreed to pay $4,000 to level the last house, which has been vandalized over the years.

Redevelopment officials are considering a variety of uses for the area, Hui said.

The council also agreed this week to proceed with a plan to widen Stanton Avenue near Manchester Boulevard to improve traffic flow. The city has already acquired all the property it needs to proceed, officials said.

The project will not add lanes to the four-lane road but will improve curbs and widen the street, allowing traffic to flow more easily.

Motorists who want to make right-hand turns will have more space to do so, traffic engineer Nabil S. Henein said.

The street widening is set to begin in July and to be completed within three or four months, Henein said.