But pressure is mounting from a confluence of political, societal, and economic forces to finally clean up this gulch of horrors for good.
From a task force convened by the mayor to address the city’s opioid epidemic, to growing development around the site, and an increase in rail traffic, a flash point seems to have been reached.
“This neighborhood has been struggling for decades, and when my administration came into office last year, we said this has to stop,” said Mayor Kenney. “It’s not an easy issue, it’s going to take many years and a ton of money, so that may have been why it hasn’t been addressed in the past – but that’s not an excuse.”