BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Binghamton has begun another wave of demolitions in order to remove blighted properties from neighborhoods across the city.

The effort began this morning at 214 Conklin Avenue, a dilapidated building with a caved in roof.

It’s one of 6 buildings that will be torn down over the course of the next month and a half.

Gorick Construction is receiving over 207 thousand dollars for the work from the city’s Community Development Block Grant funds.

City Councilman Phil Strawn says Conklin Avenue is a busy gateway into the city.

“There’s a lot of good neighbors and a lot of good people who live in this area of the southside and they deserve a great place to live. A lot of people walk to Ben Franklin through here right on this very sidewalk that we are standing on. And it just another show of the changes and improvements to the southside,” he said.

Dale Blackwood lives next door and was on hand to document the demolition.

He’s upset that the city didn’t give neighbors a chance to purchase and rehabilitate the house.

Blackwood says that despite outward appearances, the structure was still salvageable.

“I’ve been in there many times, it’s structurally sound. The basement is perfect, it has steel columns in the basement. It was done over a couple years ago. The landlord has left it in the dilapidated state that you see right now. He hasn’t really fixed anything on the house for the past couple of years,” says Blackwood.

Blackwood says a renovation would help address the city’s need for affordable safe housing.

Mayor Jared Kraham says all of the lots will be offered to neighbors to purchase as side lots or will remain forever green if they’re in flood zones.