(La Porte, IN) - More dilapidated homes in La Porte have come down.  A house at 104 Grove Street was torn down yesterday.  Another house in the 600 block of Tipton Street is also slated to be demolished in the coming days. 

Code Enforcement Director Jeff Batchelor said the structures were condemned and demolition orders issued about a year ago.  He said it took some time for the legal process to run its course for the latest demolition to actually happen.

Federal dollars were obtained by the city to pay for tearing down the structures.  A house nearby at 203 Pulaski Street was torn down several weeks ago.  La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, who just began his second year in office, is living up to his campaign pledge with several eyesore properties demolished in recent months. 

Just over $250,000 in federal funds were secured by the city last year for demolition.  Another $150,000 in federal monies are being sought for more tear downs in the coming months, said Mary Ann Richards, Program Director for the city's Community Development Block Grant program.  “We promised we were going to clean up La Porte.  We continue that in 2021,” he said.