Tramaine Beck, a resident of the Riverview Apartments. Staff photo / Chris McBride

WARREN — “Good riddance to the place,” Tramaine Beck, a resident of the Riverview Apartments, said about the building’s upcoming demolition.

The 10-story high rise’s demolition will force 150 to 200 people to relocate from the 250 Tod Ave. NW property.

The complex is managed by the Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority. TMHA Executive Director Donald Emerson said an architectural study was done on the two buildings — the other is on Buckeye Street NW — that determined the Tod location is the most prime for removal.

Emerson said the decision comes after years of costly upkeep at the building, noting fully preserving the apartments would come with a hefty price tag.

“It would cost $15 million to make lasting improvements,” Emerson said. “That crossed the threshold for how much (U.S.) Housing and Urban Development would put toward making those changes.”

He continued: “It’s an old building, virtually 50 years old, so every system would have to be replaced. There’s been roofing issues, concrete to replace, an elevator system that costs upward of $1 million to repair. Even replacing the boilers for new heating would be costly.”

SERVICES AVAILABLE

The residents were notified of the move last April during a virtual meeting. They were encouraged to attend to learn of the upcoming demolition plans and options for those needing housing.

“We have plenty of services available to help them through the process. We have been up-front and given them the options available — we’ve received no feedback that has been against the decision,” Emerson said.

A voucher will be offered for residents that Emerson said will pay for a percentage or all of their housing, depending on their income level.

“Every resident will have the option to accept a voucher once they find a new place. They have the option to seek housing anywhere in the U.S. It’s not strictly limited to just Warren,” Emerson said.

He noted TMHA has no estimate yet for demolition cost, and the contract will be put out for bid. The target date for demolition is late this year or early 2024, he explained. Residents will be given a 90-day notice in early May about the coming demolition.

CONDITIONS

Emerson said the focus for the buildings, in lieu of demolition, would be to maintain the current conditions — conditions that residents, including Beck, say have kept the building in less-than-quality shape.

Upon entering the building to head to Beck’s fourth-floor apartment, there’s a visible amount of scattered food caking the floor. One elevator carries the smell of urine, while the other is not operational since a fire in September 2021.

The building was once a safe haven for Beck after a house fire displaced him, his wife and their three children, but has been chaotic since his arrival, he said. He said the couple is separated and the kids don’t live at the apartment.

“My goal for my kids is to make sure their hard work doesn’t bring them to a place like this,” Beck said.

In November 2021, a body was found on the fifth floor and a bloody scene was discovered on the walls and in the stairwell to the seventh floor.

“I’m not picky or particular but I needed a roof over my head. But when I first moved here, within months there was a man shot. I walked out into the common area and it’s like a crime scene from all the blood,” Beck said.

“I understand it takes a process to get funding from the government to tear down something that large, but it needs to happen. There’s been too much going on here.”

Beck argues that conditions are inexcusable for people still living in the building.

“I understand the cost that comes to service an elevator. But if you’re going to tear the building down, at least make it comfortable in the meantime to make it better for everybody,” Beck said. He said the building also has roaches and bedbugs.

INFESTATION

Tenant Gina Jacobson took matters into her own hands to combat the infestation.

“One day I came back home and found roaches in my apartment. For weeks I called management about getting it taken care of, with no response,” Jacobson said.

So, she used one month’s rent to spray, bomb and clean her apartment.

“After I got it cleaned I told management and they actually got upset about me doing that, because now they were going to have to clean the vacant apartment next to me,” Jacobson said. “How about management take care of the building?”

Jacobson, previously from Texas, has lived in the building since 2021, and said she’s seen conditions worsen with human feces in the stairwell, drugs and broken windows. She says she lives in constant fear of those around her. She argues these issues wouldn’t have spiraled had action been taken by Riverview management to enforce rules about unruly residents.

“I feel like there’s retaliation if anything is said, and the management here are preying on people with low income, living paycheck to paycheck, that have nowhere to go. They (residents) come from a socio-economic standpoint where they can’t say anything or don’t know what to say,” Jacobson said.

“They need to tear it down,” she said. “The building is a drain on public services — the fire department, the paramedics or police are out here every day. This place can’t exist and bring good to the community.”

While Emerson acknowledges the conditions of the building are not ideal, he said holding residents accountable is important.

“The building is in livable condition. It’s the responsibility of the residents equally as the staff to make sure the building is clean,” Emerson said.