WILMINGTON — The city took another step to clean up and beautify the Sugartree Street corridor downtown on Tuesday morning.
The old Sugartree Machine Tool building was torn down; it had been abandoned for several years, said Mayor John Stanforth.
The building was located between The Escape and Quali-Tee Design Sportswear.
“We want to thank the Land Bank; they’re the ones that made this possible with their persistence and flexibility to acquire properties. It’s part of our plan to rehab this block of Sugartree into an entertainment center,” said Stanforth.
“We also thank the prosecutor’s office; this thing had all kinds of liens on it. It’s been at least a three-year process to get this taken care of.
“We’re glad to see it go,” he added.
The city and the Land Bank continue to work together as more abandoned buildings and houses will be slated for future demolition, with the city providing the funding for demolition and the Land Bank acquiring and holding the properties.
Stanforth said the long-range plan for the street is to make the area more pedestrian-friendly, including with improved curbs and lighting.
The entire block of Sugartree can be closed to vehicle traffic for special events, as it has been in recent years for events such as the Third Fridays organized by Main Street Wilmington.