Local

"Bad News" apartments to meet wrecking ball

It’s long been considered a blight on Northwest Atlanta. No more.

This morning, the walls come tumbling down at the La Barcelona Apartments at 176 Anderson Avenue in Northwest Atlanta.

"From the standpoints of crime and quality of life, this property has been a problem for Northwest Atlanta," said police spokesman Carlos Campos.

A haven for the homeless, a magnet for crime, the La Barcelona Apartments have been bad news for too long, he said. So the entire complex will be torn down after a brief ceremony led by Mayor Kasim Reed, starting at 10:00 a.m.

"We're not out there just tearing one vacant apartment complex down," said Campos. In fact, this is one of 171 Atlanta properties targeted by police for the wrecking ball in an effort to reduce blight and start the process of rebuilding – not just the property – but the neighborhood that surrounds it, he added.

Campos pointed to Atlantic Station as the most successful project of this type, transformed from a Superfund cleanup sight to one of the city's trendiest mixed-use neighborhoods.

Listen

news

weather

traffic

mobile apps

Everything you love about wsbradio.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!