Volume 13, Number 23
www.plainvillecitizen.com
Plainville’s Only Weekly Newspaper
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Days appear numbered for Chung ‘eyesore’ By Adam Stuhlman The Plainville Citizen
Plainville resident John Dieli surrounded by House of Heroes volunteers. | (Adam Stuhlman / The Plainville Citizen)
For years, Plainville residents have had issues with the blighted site at 311-349 New Britain Ave., commonly known as the Chung Property, currently owned by John Senese of Calco Construction. Town Manager Robert E. Lee feels the demolition can be completed soon. “Getting this eyesore removed could be within the next 60 days,” he said. It’s a long time coming. According to Lee, in 2005, Chung Family Realty Partnership LLC went into contract with Landmark Investment
Group to purchase the property so long as Chung paid off $131,000 of past due property taxes. However, Lee said that since Chung didn’t have the money, it offered a discount on the property to LIG, but was turned down. LIG then took Chung to court for breach of contract. Lee added that the demolition does not have to wait until litigation ends. At the heart of the issue for some residents isn’t just the Chung case, but the fact that Plainville doesn’t have a blight ordinance. “We have asked for more than five years to have a See Eyesore / Page 5
On behalf of a grateful nation ... By Adam Stuhlman The Plainville Citizen
House of Heroes reached out to help some area military families June 4. Vietnam-era veteran John Dieli, of 20 Meriline Ave., and Cecelia DiFrancesco, of 22 Pershing Dr., who’s late husband was a military man, received needed repairs and upgrades to their homes that day. Victoria Dawson,
of New Britain, also was helped by House of Heroes. Dieli, discharged from the Army in 1963, applied for help through the House of Heroes website last October. Help arrived at his Plainville home last week. “They are doing tree trim, and putting a new roof on,” Dieli explained. “This is a relief.” Drafted in 1961, Dieli was not called upon to fight in
Vietnam, but felt for the guys that were. “I felt bad for the guys that had to serve. It was a terrible war,” Dieli said. “When guys came back from Vietnam, they were treated horribly and called names.” DiFrancesco has lived in her Plainville home for nearly 70 years, where she and her husband, Louis DiSee HOH / Page 2
According to Town Manager Robert E. Lee, the blighted property at 311-349 New Britain Ave. may soon be demolished. | (Adam Stuhlman / The Plainville Citizen)
79978R