Leaky roofs, rodents and raw sewage gurgling up from the ground. Another day in the life of the Crestmont Village Apartments. Abandoned after the ravages of Hurricane Ike, it became a dumping ground and a problem for neighboring homes.
It came to an end by order of The City of Houston. The city allocated $348,000 to tear it down. Mayor Sylvester Turner himself took the controls of a Cherry Companies excavator to deal the condemned property its first blow.
“These apartments remained vacant. They provided a haven for squatters and illegal activity,” Mayor Turner said in a news conference. “It earned lots of media attention because of the deplorable living conditions.”
Cherry Ends Crestmont Village Apartments
The City tapped Cherry Companies for the demolition and clearing of this and an adjacent complex. Both abandoned buildings stood across the street from an elementary school.
“This is removal of an eyesore,” said Cherry Companies President, Leonard Cherry. “And, it marks creation of another safe environment for our children.”
This land won’t stand vacant long. Because, in its place, a developer plans to build low-income apartments. This plan leaves neighbors wondering if they’re ten years away from another cycle of decay and abandonment.
Ironically, tearing it down won’t end the Crestmont Village Apartments story. Litigation seeking more than $1 million was filed by former tenants. They claim economic damages through alleged deceptive trade practices and fraud by the landlords.
