English Woods photo update, 8/2/08

Demoliton continues slowly at the site of the former English Woods public housing project, with more than half of the 60-acre site cleared and returning to rubble-strewn nature.

Along the main artery of Sutter Avenue, everything along the north and east sides of the street has been razed except for the community center and the English Woods Market.

The western and southern side of the street is in various stages of demolition, with many of the buildings still standing, especially north of the Marquette Manor mid-rise.

And although it has all been fenced off and the streets vacated, there are many man-made breaks in the fences and evidence that people have been trespassing on the grounds.

Built in 1942 to house families of military personnel and containing 717 units in 82 buildings, the complex officially closed in fall 2005 after Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) estimated it would cost $92 million to repair major electrical, structural, and plumbing problems.

A resident plan to spend $17,000 per unit on repairs failed to meet U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standards and City codes, as was a plan to have the City buy the complex from CHMA and sell it to the residents for $1.

Residents of the 80 occupied units were moved into other nearby public housing like Sutter View and Marquette Manor.

With HOPE VI money shut off, there has been only minor interest in redeveloping the site into new housing or commercial use, and CMHA says that there are no current plans for the site.

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