(SANILAC COUNTY) – The City of Croswell will have some alternative traffic routes in town on Wednesday, to allow for the removal of two downtown buildings that sustained heavy fire damage last year.
City Manager Dave Tait says in the interest of public safety, North Howard Ave, between Ward St and Wells St will be closed on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2022 from 8 am to 8 pm for the demolition of 70 and 72 N Howard Ave.
Howard Street is the main street that goes north and south through the downtown area.
Area fire crews responded to the five-alarm fire in the middle of the night June 5th when Croswell Police Officer Zach Overstreet and a couple of civilians helped rescue five people from a burning building in downtown Croswell.
Upon arrival of first fire units, Smoker’s Paradise and the adjacent building, Town and Country Realty, were fully engulfed in flames and eventually, completely destroyed in the fire.
The Town and Country Realty building is known to many as the former Ed’s Bakery and Antonio’s Sub Shop, which were popular businesses in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
City officials say the buildings have been determined to be a total loss and the property owner is having them demolished for safety reasons.
Tait said there are no pending development plans for the property that will sit vacant for the time being.
Tait anticipates work to begin first thing Wednesday morning and once the buildings are on the ground, the road will be re-opened to traffic.
