Good news for motorists in Altoona, 31^st Street by the former Russo Demolition Building will reopen to traffic today.
 
A contractor spent the past three days tearing down two upper walls on the damaged building. A fire in May caused the walls to buckle, creating a potential traffic hazard.
 
Planning Director Lee Slusser says after seven weeks of patiently waiting for the owner of the building to act, something had to be done.
 

 
Napoli Recycling Corporation of New York owns the property. Slusser said the company had engineers in, but never finalized plans. He’s hopeful the city can recover the nearly $8,000 demolition cost.
 

 
Slusser says Napoli officials have been cooperative, but in the end the city gave them more than a fair amount of time to do the work themselves.