Blighted Retirement Home To Be Demolished

DETROIT (WWJ) - A long-abandoned retirement home on Detroit's west side is scheduled to be demolished.

The Arnold House Retirement Home is located on West Seven Mile Road between Evergreen and the Southfield Freeway.

"Arnold House has become a terrible eyesore," said City of Detroit Buildings, Safety Engineering & Environmental Department (BSEED) Deputy Director Raymond Scott. "This building has become a health and safety issue for the community and is the source of many resident complaints."

Scott said, back in 2011, they say two people searching for scrap were killed when the ceiling fell on them after they cut away the substructure.

Residents of the community are invited to attend a meeting on to learn about the demolition process at 6 p.m. on May 6 at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 19125 Greenview in Detroit.

The demolition of the blighted, 100,000-square-foot structure is expected to be complete by the end of August. The expense of the demolition will be covered by HUD grant funds that were reprogrammed to allow removal of the structure and clearing of debris from the 12.93-acre site.