CITY OF NEWBURGH – Newburgh will spend over $200,000 to demolish four dilapidated city-owned properties under an initiative that grew out of the collapse of a Johnston Street property in 2014.

The city approved two demolition contracts last Monday, one with Jupiter Environmental Services Inc. and the other with Gorick Construction Co. Inc.

Jupiter will receive $52,200 to demolish 139 Johnston St. while Gorick will be paid $174,366 to demolish three other properties: 251 Third St.; 161 Lander St.; and 191 South St.

The work is expected to be done by the end of the year.

“The number one thing is safety,” Mayor Judy Kennedy said. “One of the big things we’ve been pushing for in this city is making it safe in so many ways.”

“We’re actually going to be able to take these buildings down at a lot lower cost,” Kennedy said.

Demolishing unsafe buildings took on a new urgency in September 2014 after a city-owned building housing 21 and 23 Johnston St. collapsed.

No one was injured, but the collapse left a pile of rubble next to a pair of houses where residents routinely gathered to talk and play dominoes.

The City Council approved borrowing $500,000 to demolish unsafe buildings in April 2016 after identifying a “dirty dozen” list of properties.

The list included two others on Johnston Street, a second property on First Street and properties on Campbell, Lander and Liberty.

Between authorizing the funding and approving bids on Monday, the city had to undertake several emergency demolitions.

In June 2016, the Council had to approve contracts totaling nearly $275,000 for the emergency demolition of two vacant city-owned structures over the previous month.

Poughkeepsie-based BSB Construction Inc. took down 73-77 William St., where fallen bricks and debris first observed on March 29, 2016, led to the immediate closure of William between Hasbrouck and South William Street.

Taylor Recycling demolished 316 First St., whose back fell off at the beginning of May 2016. The collapse left one side of the structure leaning against a neighboring building.

Another emergency took place earlier this year, when Newburgh had to spend nearly $162,000 to demolish 68 Campbell St.

lsparks@th-record.com