Massena votes to tear down fire-damaged house

MASSENA, New York (WWNY) - A fire-damaged home has the attention of the village board in Massena. Members met on Tuesday to determine if the structure needs to come down.

The board passed a resolution stating the building must be torn down within 60 days after notification.

What follows is our earlier report:

A charred structure is what remains at 23 and a half East Orvis Street in Massena after a fire in March of 2022.

According to Massena Village Code Enforcement Officer Aaron Hardy, it’s time for something to be done.

“I’ve been over to this structure multiple times and it continues to deteriorate and, in my opinion at this time, it needs to come down,” he said.

The building’s condition has prompted the village board to hold a special meeting on Tuesday to figure out what should happen next.

“When these types of things happen, it’s the responsibility of the homeowner to either repair the building or to have the building torn down in a timely manner and when that doesn’t happen, the village has to step in for the safety of the community,” said Massena Mayor Greg Paquin.

Hardy says that if snow builds up on the structure this winter, it could very well collapse.

“It’s been exposed to the elements. Snow, rain, wind. I’ve even observed pigeons flying out of there. I’ve seen cats in and out of there, so the animals are getting in there and it’s going to become a health hazard as well, potentially,” he said.

If the village votes to demolish the property, the next step is figuring out how much that would cost.

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