By KAITLYN NAPLES STAFF WRITER The area of Roberts Street Extension will start to look a little different come mid-August as the town begins demolition of several homes that have been heavily damaged by flood waters in the past. Last week, the town awarded a $257,935 bid to Martin Laviero Contractors of Bristol for the razing of 13 homes, which was $95,000 less than what the town estimated it would have to pay. Earlier this year, Plainville received $2.54 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds to purchase the homes endangered by their position on the Pequabuck River flood plain. In 2011, the town accrued millions of dollars in damage after Tropical Storm Irene, and many residents in the area of Roberts Street area were displaced from their homes. The grant reimburses 75 percent of the costs associated with purchasing and demolishing the homes. Residents were asked a year ago if they wanted to participate in the program, and also have the option of using the funds to move their home to a higher elevation in the same general area or to move their utilities to a higher elevation. The homes, which are vacant, will be demolished by the [...]
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