SOUTH-CENTRAL : Police Station Plans Inching Along

Several homeowners who will be displaced to make way for a new Newton Division police station said city officials have not paid them for their properties and not told them when demolition will begin.

The statements came during a city Planning Department public hearing last week regarding the proposed $13-million project at 3400 Central Ave.

Residents who live in three of the six single-family homes slated for demolition said they agreed to sell their homes to the city by August, but have not been contacted by city officials to finalize the agreements.

“I would just like to get my money and get out of here,” said Eula Frye, who said she was offered $177,000 for her home.

Lynell Washington, a planner for CRSS Constructors Inc., said the city is still negotiating with commercial property owners in the area and added that residents will soon be paid for their homes.

“The property owners have gotten a fair deal,” said Washington, whose company will build the police station. “But sometimes it takes time to cut through all the red tape from a number of agencies.”

Leslie Pincuck, the deputy city attorney supervising the property negotiations, was not available for comment last week.

Construction of the 26,000-square-foot station is scheduled to begin in April, 1994, but Washington said the city would like to clear the site early this year. The area is bounded by Central Avenue to the west, 34th Street to the north, 35th Street to the south and Naomi Avenue to the east.

He said the city Planning Commission is expected to give final approval to the project Feb. 4.

Frye and other residents who agreed to sell their homes said their lives are on hold until they are paid.

“They have not told us anything,” said Salvador Pedroza, who was promised $177,000 for his 34th Street home. “We’ve seen houses that we want to buy, but we can’t do anything.”