Four properties in the Heritage District now have permits for demolition as part of the city’s anti-blight campaign.
Public Works received permits to demolish homes on Pershing Street, Burkett Avenue and Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. In July, the city council agreed to move forward on the demolition of three of the properties. Public Works Director Bill Fay said federal grant-funded projects take longer to execute than local demolitions.
“The next step is the procurement of a demolition contractor,” he said. “We have to go through the process of making sure they are federally compliant.”
City Hall has been without a procurement specialist, which has also slowed the process. The demolition permits are good through July and can be extended.
The city does not own the properties but is paying for the demolition through a Community Development Block Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The property at 19514 N. Pershing St. belongs to Miguel “Mike” Diaz. The property at 44378 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Hwy. belongs to Lucia Gastelum. The property at 44548 W. Burkett Ave. belongs to Edgar Pimentel, and the property at 44536 W. Burkett Ave. belongs to Palo Brea LLC.
In coincidental but unrelated activity, Arizona Department of Transportation intends to begin tearing down structures on properties it owns in the Heritage District in February to make way for the overpass. Actual construction of the overpass is expected to begin later in February, delayed by Ames Construction’s continuing work on an earlier project.
MOBILE USERS GET NEWS FIRST. Download InMaricopa for Apple and Android devices.
![An image of one of 56 elevation renderings submitted to Maricopa's planning department for the Elena Trails subdivison. The developer plans to construct 14 different floor plans, with four elevation styles per plan. [City of Maricopa]](https://www.inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/city-041724-elena-trails-rendering-218x150.jpg "Elena Trails releases home renderings")
![A blue square highlights the area of the proposed affordable housing development and "Restaurant Row" sitting south of city hall and the Maricopa Police Department. Preliminary architectural drawings were not yet available. [City of Maricopa]](https://www.inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/041724-affordable-housing-project-restaurant-row-218x150.jpg "Affordable apartments planned near ‘Restaurant Row’")
![City Manager Ben Bitter speaks during a Chamber of Commerce event at Global Water Resources on April 11, 2024. Bitter discussed the current state of economic development in Maricopa, as well as hinting at lowering property tax rates again. [Monica D. Spencer]](https://www.inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/spencer-041124-ben-bitter-chamber-property-taxes-web-218x150.jpg "City looks to lower property taxes again")
