YONKERS, N.Y. - Yonkers officials were preparing to demolish a building on Bruce Avenue Thursday after police received a call that the abandoned structure's roof was collapsing.
Christina Gilmartin, a spokesperson for the mayor's office, said the city would begin demolition on 35 Bruce Avenue, near the intersection of Lawrence Street, Thursday afternoon or Friday.
The privately-owned building has been abandoned for about five years, neighbors said.
Peter Gonzalez lives at 9 Lawrence St., which touches the building on Bruce. He said the abandoned structure had gotten so bad in recent years that he put yellow caution tape around it to keep children and other people away.
"Nobody comes back here anymore. We're all afraid it could collapse at any time, he said, adding that he was happy the city would be taking the building down. It's about time. We've been calling the city for months.
Yonkers Police and Yonkers Fire were on the scene Thursday. A Yonkers Fire Collapse Rescue Truck was also there and Con Edison was at the building unhooking all power.
Nobody was injured when the roof began collapsing.
Frank Avila, who also lives at 9 Lawrence St., said the wall started cracking three years ago. He said he called the city last summer, when part of the roof started to fall in. He never heard back from officials, he said, and has not allowed his children to go into their backyard since then. "Little by little its been getting worse," he said. "We used to have barbecues back here all the time. Maybe now we can use it again."
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