The state has committed $1.3 million to the ongoing clearing and redevelopment of Elm and Chestnut streets in Bristol Borough.
The state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is providing the funds to the borough and Redevelopment Authority of Bucks County to buy seven remaining homes on Chestnut Street.
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Once purchased, the Redevelopment Authority of Bucks County and Bristol Borough plan to demolish the residences.
The row homes on Elm Street were demolished last April. The homes have been purchased one-by-one by the borough starting in the 1990s.
Borough Manager Jim Dillon said Thursday morning that no firm plans have been laid for the site, but borough officials have previously explained the vacant homes were deteriorating.
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“This project is so vital to the continuing Renaissance of Bristol Borough,” said Bristol Borough Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe. “On behalf of Council and Mayor DiGuiseppe, I would like to thank Senator Steve Santarsiero and Representative Tina Davis for their hard work to bring this crucial funding back to Bristol Borough.”
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero and State Rep. Tina Davis, both Democrats, announced the funding this week.
“This funding will help to rehabilitate these dilapidated properties and help rejuvenate the entire area. This redevelopment is one more sign of Bristol Borough’s revitalization,” Davis said.
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“Bristol Borough has seen great economic growth and revitalization in recent years, attracting new businesses and residents to the area. The redevelopment of the vacant properties at Chestnut and Elm Streets will help the Borough continue to expand its appeal and breathe new life into the area,” said Santarsiero.
The recent demolition and that planned for the future isn’t the first along the street.
A series of rowhomes along Elm Street were destroyed in the late 1980s during a large fire.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
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The borough began buying up properties on Elm Street and later Chestnut Street in the late 1990s
The borough has paid just under $2 million to purchase the properties over the years, according to public records.
Former residents have said the once-thriving neighborhood was besieged with crime, bad landlords, and problems that spurred the borough to keep buying up homes.
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In 2019, then-U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson toured the street on a policy tour to talk about Qualified Opportunity Zones.
The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget and is aimed at regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement.
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