MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Neighbors in a townhome complex breathed a sigh of relief Monday because a longtime eyesore is no more.
City crews demolished eight townhomes in the 4800 block of Winchester Road last week. The homes were located in the Fox Hollow Townhomes complex.
“‘Bout time,” Fox Hollow Townhomes neighbor Gloria Burt said.
Where a row of charred, trash-filled townhomes once stood is now just open space.
“It was a bunch of trash, a bunch of raccoons, rodents, mice, everything out here,” neighbor Quasha Newsom said.
The city of Memphis finished knocking the units down Friday, after a lengthy condemnation process.
The buildings burned years ago.
The Memphis Fire Department confirmed it responded to two intentional fires between 2012 and 2013.
Since then, the city’s been trying to reach each of the eight townhome owners to clean things up and, eventually, notify them about condemnation.
“My kids couldn’t even come out here and play in their back yard, because we was afraid of what was coming out of the abandoned apartments over there,” Newsom said.
Neighbors turned to WREG, and we called the city.
Now neighbors said conditions have greatly improved.
“It’s wonderful, a lot better, lot safer, I think,” Burt said.
Neighbors said they are not sure what could be next for that patch of land. The ones WREG spoke with said they would like to see it become a green space where kids could play.
The city confirmed the eight owners of the townhomes still own the physical land.
The Fox Hollow Homeowners Association said those individuals could choose to rebuild or leave the land as green space.
At least one of the properties now belongs to the county due to unpaid taxes. That means that share of the land is up for sale or donation.
Neighbors still have one complaint. They said the demolition left behind a muddy mess.
The city said it will send someone to clean it up.
