The burnt mattress is gone. So is the smoky smell permeating the air.
And the boarded-up windows. The disheveled lawn. The ‘No Trespassing’ sign: Gone, gone, gone.
An extreme makeover occurred at 119 Division St. — turning a neighborhood eyesore into eye candy and adding a blighted property back to the city’s tax rolls.
A fire destroyed the home more than two years ago.
After prolonged efforts from city leaders to get the site back in shape, a new owner has finally purchased and rebuilt the home.
Built from the foundation of the burnt home, the house has new siding with white scalloped molding, a picketed white porch, burgundy shutters and deep red doors.
Cut stone lines the pathway and there is even a small flower garden near the doorway to greet guests.
Just eight months ago, the home looked like a bombed-out building.
City officials had placed the property on the city’s blight list, and neighbors worried the home would become a squatting ground for homeless people and vandals.
Neighbors Are Noticing
The difference is startling, neighbors said. FILE PHOTO The house at 119 Division St. was blighted for more than two years.
Karen Smith has lived at her home on Division Street for the past thirty years and is very pleased by the improvement at 119 Division St.
“It’s nice that there is not an empty house that people can squat in,” Smith said.
Another resident on Division Street, who gave only her last name as Fisher, said she was happy for the change — but not just because of the looks.
“It smelled bad before, like fire and smoke, when it rained.” Fisher said.
“I am glad they fixed it up because it was an eyesore before and he did a nice job,” Perillo said. “The house looks much better than the original house. They fixed the whole roof too and did a fantastic job. It also gives more value to the houses around here.”
New Owners
Frank Pepe and Joseph Moscato are the new owners of 119 Division Street and are responsible for the drastic improvement of the property.
Pepe and Moscato purchased the burnt house, tore it down and rebuilt it up from the foundation.
According to Pepe, and city records, the new owners paid $30,000 for the property, which they started rebuilding in November.
Pepe said that it took him and Moscato around 100 days to put up the three-bedroom house, which has hardwood floors, among other improvements such as off street parking.
“This is not the first house we have done, but this has been the most challenging one due to conditions of the house from the fire and it being left open to the weather,” he said.
Aside from purchasing the destroyed property for $30,000, the new owners had to pay a $15,000 blight lien that had been attached to the property.
Kevin Blake, corporate counsel for Ansonia, said there is only an occupancy lien left that he expects to be lifted when the chief building inspector for Ansonia meets with Pepe to inspect the property.
According to Blake, Pepe and Moscato complied with the rehabilitation of the property and he is expecting there should be no problem with the city releasing the forbearance agreement.
Blake said that he and the city is pleased with the improvement of 119 Division St.
“I, myself, am happy that it looks good,” Blake said. “People, I understand, are pleased with it also and the city benefits not only because it is not a blight, but that it is a house that is taxable. Everyone wins with this.”
