Eyesore may be torn down, to neighbors' delight
4:53 p.m. Monday, September 15, 2008
"You can hear them crying over there, the coyotes are crying and the little babies are crying too at night," said Larry Hauserman.
He says that howling he hears at night is coming from the house at 3232 Southwest 45th Street. He and his neighbors suspect the coyotes are living out of the abandoned garage in the back.
Pat Roberts says her sister moved to this Topeka subdivision to get away from Kansas wildlife.
She says, "It's been kind of scary. She's from out around Barrington thinking she could get rid of the snakes and the possums and the skunks. Really, she moved into the same area she was in," Roberts said.
Neighbors say the area hasn't been mowed for at least three years and that's why they believe there are so many animals coming out of here. They also fear it's attracting vagrants and vandals.
Hauserman said, "The house has been broken into several times and they've come out and relocked it up."
The old farmhouse is in stark contrast to Alexander Place just across the street.
It's surrounded by urban sprawl on one side and a wooded lot full of deer on the other side.
"I'd like to see it torn down, cleaned up. Make it look like it belongs in the neighborhood," said Hauserman.
He could get his wish. The developer says the building will be torn down.
McMiloin Construction, which is developing that area, says the house will come down in about three months to make room for more development.
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Houses from Hell
See 49's Houses From Hell series on neighborhood blight in Topeka
- Houses From Hell: One owner struggles with city to keep his house standing (May 6, 2007)
- Houses from Hell: House demolition a long, lengthy process (May 9, 2007)
- Houses from Hell: Problems after the demolition (May 13, 2007)
- Houses from Hell: Neighborhoods look into possible solutions (May 16, 2007)
- Buildings from Hell: Abandoned businesses attract crime and lower property values (May 20, 2007)
- Houses from Hell: County DA wants to put the law into action (May 23, 2007)
- Landlords Association offers to help clean up house from hell (November 27, 2007)
- City Council codes hearing (December 3, 2007)
- "Houses from Hell" series spurs action from the DA (December 18, 2007)
- New look for 615 SW Tyler...neat and tidy (December 19, 2007)
- DA applauds Houses from Hell investigation (December 27, 2007)
- Charges filed after Houses from Hell investigation (December 28, 2007)
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