One by one, Wellsville homes tumble

It began in earnest last year in the Village of Wellsville. One by one, homes are being demolished. Village Code Enforcement Officer Jo Fenske said this afternoon that its not a village effort, but rather the work of private property owners. Fenske said in the past year, at least three homes have been demolished, with more in the pipeline. Fenske said the bulk of the activity has been in the Farnum Street and O'Connor Street neighborhoods. One home was brought down on O'Connor while two others were ripped down on Farnum. Fenske said in each case, the homes were in a severe "state of disrepair." Repairs, she said, would have been "cost prohibitive." Overall, the Code Officer said she is pleased with the progress and the removal of blighted properties. However, the demolitions are not followed by new construction, at least not yet. In most cases, the removal of the homes has allowed property owners to expand lot sizes. Good for neighborhoods, less appealing for the tax base. Fenske said in general, the affected neighborhoods have supported the demolitions. Fenske is only involved because demolitions require a permit, which she must approve.
The changing village landscape is expected to continue, as more demolitions are expected in the next year.